AU: Attending Tatakoe High
by Kita Kitsune
Summary: DISCONTINUED. AU, shounen ai Kurama and Hiei are normal humans attending regular, everyday ningen school. NOT YOUR USUAL SCHOOL 'AU' FIC because THIS time they DON'T go to the same high school . . . pairings KuraHiei, YusKei, KuwYuk, KoeBot.
1. Without a name

**AU – Tatakoe koukou no shusseki suru (attending Tatakoe High)**

. . . by me, Kita-chan. ( n.n;; )

_(alternate universe, shonen ai) Kurama and Hiei are normal humans; attending regular, everyday human school. NOT YOUR USUAL SCHOOL 'AU' FIC - because THIS time they DON'T go to the same high school . . . pairings; KuraHiei, YusKei, KuwYuk, KoeBot._

Shonen ai (perhaps some yaoi) eventually. n.n;;

BE WARNED if you don't like it, ok, minna-san? =n.n=

Pairings: Kurama x Hiei, Yusuke x Keiko, Kuwabara x Yukina, Koenma x Botan

In the beginning, just so none of you are confused, there will be a LOT of flashbacks.

Then it may get more exciting . . . n.n;;

I simply HAD to write a fic where Kura and Hiei were teens, so I thought for a bit . . .

And out popped the idea for 'Tatakoe High'!! (sugoi! n.n;;)

Semi-important notes for clarification . . .

1- Yusuke, Keiko and Kuwabara's school is still Sarayashiki Junior High (Yusuke, Kuwabara and Keiko are all fourteen).

2- **Hiei's school is Tatakoe High** (the next step for students in Sarayashiki Junior High; a.k.a.: the public high school n.n;).

3- Kurama, Yukina and Botan's school is Meiou High. (Hiei, Kurama, Yukina and Botan are all sixteen).

4- Hiei lives across the city from where everyone else lives (a completely different part of town).

POVs will (sorta) switch in this fic; each chapter is in the Ningenkai.

Ok, minna!

Go see if this fic is worth reading!

Talk to ya at the end!

n.n;; ( baka me . . . . sigh . . . . -.-# )

- - - - - - - - -

Chapter One

_Without a_ _name . . ._

- - - - - - -

The red-eyed teen sighed quietly from his seat at the edge of the nearly-vacant room. The back of his chair was tilted at a 45º angle to the floor; said object only being balanced on half its legs. He rocked his head slowly in time to the song playing in his mind . . . the CD player carefully hidden under his (assigned) black school uniform. The entire classroom was basically empty, save for the wizened teacher sitting at the desk in front, much too focused his work to take into account what the younger occupants of this hellhole were doing . . .

Actually . . . make that OCCUPANT.

Yes, he, Hiei, was the only student confined to detention today.

What a load of bull . . .

He'd rather be with his sensei right now, training, but today was Thursday. Hittu-sensei didn't have class with him until Monday . . . so he usually skipped any after-school detention he earned . . . often taking to spend his after-school hours hanging around town to see if there was anyone stupid enough to challenge him to a fight . . . despite his (accidental) Goth—and childish—appearance, he was a serious force to be reckoned with . . . on the street, anyway. In school he was known well as a dangerous guy, so most of his fellow students steered clear of the 'psychotic kid.'

But this pointless detention was better than going home . . . Hiei snorted in disgust at the memories . . . when the weather discouraged just 'hanging around town' . . .

Ryujin, his foster father, was a drunk, now . . . a widower, still . . . after two years. Ever since his other foster parent, a woman named Miuko, died, Ryujin had never been the same . . . he could remember that day, clear as a crystal in his mind, when she passed away . . .

(::flashback::)

A thin woman lay in a hospital bed, a child and a man standing on either side. As the heart machine beeped softly in the background, she smiled weakly up to the man, who looked away in sadness, unable to take his wife in so sore a condition . . . then she turned her gaze to the teen, whose face conveyed nothing. Reaching out weakly, she clasped his hand in hers, searching those unique red eyes for something . . . whispering . . .

" . . . Hiei-chan . . ." . . . and she had then breathed her last breath . . .

beeeeeeeeeeep—

(::end flashback::)

Hn. Yet another mother . . . this one dead. And here he had thought it would last . . .

If there was one thing he had learned, it was that NOTHING was ever forever.

When he was born, to a teenage mother, he had been adopted into a seemingly nice family. Hn . . . they were 'nice', all right . . . the mother was a workaholic, and the father a sleezy freeloader.

And, unknown to the adoption service, the seemingly harmless father was abusive. Not only did he beat the boy almost as soon as he could walk—nearly to the point of unconsciousness—but it continued until the day care center (which he started to attend when he was four) noticed the odd bruises he kept showing up with, and how quiet and moody he was, for such a young child . . .

This, of course, led to the adoption services investigating, finding out and transferring him to another home.

He stayed with THAT family a whole six months before they couldn't stand him any more . . . the length of time it took for him to be free of the abusive home had entrenched in him a deep fear of anyone over the age of ten . . . the busy couple didn't want anything to do with a silent, bad-tempered kid . . .

And on it went . . . when he was five it was that family secretly connected to the mob . . . what were the odds? . . . at age six it was those 'Christian' people . . . whom he grew sick of in under a month . . . then the huge family with three other kids, who teamed up against him and made life miserable until he finally ran away . . . then, at age eight, he had stumbled into the bakery. The woman behind the counter smiled brightly at him, seeing his hungry look, and offered him a free piece of bread. This, of course, led to talking. The woman was Imouta Miuko and eventually . . . she adopted him.

He had gained some rough habits over the years, so she diligently and yet cheerfully worked to try to make a decent person out of him . . . the father wasn't so bad, in those days . . . then again, Ryujin hadn't started drinking, yet . . .

Unwilling to admit it even now, to himself, he had actually started to bond with the woman . . . and he was almost . . . happy. Everything had looked downhill from there, the classic story of a kid with a bad beginning going out to become a real winner in life . . . a 'rags to riches' miracle . . . she was even the one who had signed him up for the martial arts classes . . . (well, actually more like the SWORD class because martial arts had been full . . . ).

He remembered how she had studied him discreetly, watching him practice with the wooden sword in the backyard . . . as she hung the laundry up to dry with a content smile . . . she then had given him a REAL sword for his fourteenth birthday . . . and now he remembered her pale face upon handing him the gift . . .

And, in that year, it had all come crashing down.

She developed a very malignant type of cancer in her lung . . . he had meant to tell her all those smokers in the bar she worked at would get her someday . . . and ended up dying within a few months . . .

. . . nothing ever lasts . . .

Nothing . . . he thought bitterly . . . as the empty song resounded in his head, fading into a silence that only echoed with the scratching of the teacher's pen from across the room . . .

- - - - -

Hn. It was finally over . . . he was walking down the street to the private school (which always let out a lot later than his), now, deep in thought as he strolled down the Tokyo streets . . .

His last name . . .

It had changed so many times, he didn't really think he had one . . .

And he hated the 'Imouta' crap . . .

He remembered with a smirk, some old legends of demons and such, in school (when he actually paid attention and thought to show up) . . . something called an 'Evil Eye' . . . the smirk grew. He could glare down anyone with his intense gaze . . . chuckling, he remembered the nickname for someone with an 'Evil Eye' . . .

. . . Jaganshi.

Now he wasn't one to 'make-up' a last name, but . . .

He sure as H—L wasn't going to die with that 'Imouta' thing attached to his grave . . .

Hiei shrugged to himself . . .

Not completely looking where he was going, suddenly he felt someone who had been running from the other direction crash into him. They both landed, HARD, on the concrete, the other's momentum carrying the boy on top of his body . . . he heard a soft groan . . .

- - - - - - -

Shuichi, Kurama as some of his friends called him, looked over his shoulder, hoping desperately that, today, finally, he would be able to escape the school grounds without being spotted by his 'fan club' . . . a fleeting thought of looking where he was going registered in his mind as he ran into something warm and soft, and then plunging to the ground. He groaned at the impact, but knowing it must be MUCH worse for the person under him, tried to suppress it a bit . . .

Then he heard a growl.

Opening his eyes in surprise, he looked down to find deep red orbs staring back at him . . . which were QUITE annoyed at the moment. He put on an apologetic, disarming smile and quickly got up, looking around the corner where he could see the red skirt outfits of the girls at the gates of his school . . .

"Hn." He heard from behind him. Turning his head back to face the shorter teen slowly, he saw that he had gotten up, and was now look—err—glaring at him.

Plastering on another winning smile, he spoke cheerfully.

"Sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going. Are you all right?" This earned him a flicker of annoyance from the short kid; who was most definitely NOT a kid, he corrected himself, as he had thought upon first glance . . .

"Hn. Of course I am." The boy turned around, granting him the view of the spiked-up blue-black hair. "Idiot." The redhead cocked an eyebrow at the short boy in front of him . . .

"Well. I had best be going, then." He heard what sounded suspiciously like a . . . 'ch.'

"Whatever." Then the black-clad kid was walking down the street and away, leaving a very perplexed green-eyed teen puzzling after him . . .

"THERE he is!! Shuichi-kun!"

"SHUICHI!!"

"Shuichi-chaaaaan!!" Stiffening at the flighty female voices, he dared to turn around, only to see a mob of crimson-clad girls racing towards him. Sweatdropping, the boy started to run back home again, quickly brushing past the black-haired boy from earlier, who was walking contemplatively down the street.

"Excuse me!" he cried in a rushed voice, sweeping past the boy in an instant.

- - - - - - -

Blinking at the fast retreating redhead, Hiei opened his mouth to retort sarcastically, only to be pushed against the building to his right; a horde of teenage girls completely ignoring his existence to chase after the green-eyed teen frantically scrambling down the street, who was now only a fast-disappearing (and now distant) blur of red and the awful pink of the guy's school uniform.

- - - - - - -

Review if you want me to continue n.n

- Kita-chan peace out

PS

No, seriously.

Review or I WON'T continue =n.n=

Ja!


	2. Sisters

**AU – Tatakoe koukou no shusseki suru (Attending Tatakoe High)**

_(alternate universe, shonen ai) Kurama and Hiei are normal humans; attending regular, everyday ningen school. NOT YOUR USUAL SCHOOL 'AU' FIC - because THIS time they DON'T go to the same high school . . . pairings; KuraHiei, YusKei, KuwYuk, KoeBot._

Shonen ai (perhaps some yaoi) eventually. n.n;;

BE WARNED if you don't like it, ok, minna-san? =n.n=

Pairings: Kurama x Hiei, Yusuke x Keiko, Kuwabara x Yukina, Koenma x Botan

Disclaimer: Kita doesn't own yuyu. So don't you/you sue (kudasai! =n.n=).

(if I forgot the dissy last chapter . . . sorry! u.u;; truth is, I don't think I'll EVER own them! ::cries:: T.T)

Ok, I've decided to let you guys know what day it is n.n;

Jus so everyone knows from whose POV it is, ne?

n.n;;

ok, well this chapter is the same day (and [OVERALL] POV) as the last chapter ( . . . err . . . Thursday (after school; obviously in the afternoon) . . . and . . . Hiei's POV. Oo;; )

The next chappie will be from Kura's POV, as well – and the same day! n.n;;;

eheh heh heh . . . ok, minna-san?

Any confusion, see the last post-script!

=n.n.=

- - - - - - -

**Thursday afternoon**

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

_. . . beforehand . . ._

- - - - - - -

Blinking at the fast retreating redhead, Hiei opened his mouth to retort sarcastically, only to be pushed against the building to his right; a horde of teenage girls completely ignoring his existence to chase after the green-eyed teen frantically scrambling down the street, who was now only a fast-disappearing (and now distant) blur of red and the awful pink of the guy's school uniform.

- - - - - - -

- - - - - - -

Chapter Two

_Sisters_

- - - - - - -

Hiei shook his head at the brush-in with the (obviously) popular teen, but stopped suddenly as his thoughts stilled, remembering why he was here . . . in this part of the city . . . without glancing around, he ducked into a nearby alley, quickly finding a fire escape and climbing up to the roof, his rough hands catching hold of the chill, rusted metal as he nearly flew up the side of the building . . . he had done this before.

As the teen reached the top, he easily flipped up and over, landing neatly on his own two feet. Taking a deep breath, he started running, getting closer to the edge and then . . . flying . . .

The brief wind that stirred the spiky locks caused him to close his eyes momentarily, the spell only broken by the sudden landing back on solid—err . . . roof.

Without hesitation, he continued running, leaping and landing almost effortlessly on the next building. Looking down into the schoolyard, he spotted a mass of red-skirted schoolgirls and pink-clad boys. Using his dark eyes to quietly survey the scene, he quickly found what he was looking for.

A young girl, that looked to be about his age, was smiling, amused and easily patient, as two of her friends, a brunette and the blue-haired ditz, conversed in what seemed to be nothing but simple, good-natured banter. The boy on top of the roof took her in quietly, his deep red eyes watching as one of the friends made a comment, causing the girl to laugh, the unnaturally pale green hair shifting as she giggled slightly.

. . . his heart ached . . .

Watching her, his heart ached . . . the normally hard look in the crimson eyes softened a bit, revealing a fleeting glimpse of the originally soft soul beneath . . . he wished he could hear her . . . could hear her . . . laugh . . .

- - - - - - -

"BOTAAAN-CHAAN!" The two girls turned, hearing their friend call. The green-haired girl smiled as the short brunette with the cute, old-fashioned 'bob' cut finally caught up with them.

"Hello, Toumo-chan! What do you need?" The girl bowed politely at her, then began to speak.

"Oh, hey Yukina-chan. Well, what I need is for BOTAN-chan—"she turned, eyes currently sparking, to her other friend "—to give me the assignments I missed on Friday!" The blue-haired girl did her cat-face, the one when she knew she was guilty but trying to get out of it . . .

"Ano—why don't you ask Yameru-sensei for the assignments again?" Toumo raised her voice a bit more, getting annoyed.

"I DID!! He said he didn't have any more and didn't want to run stuff off the copier just because I was IRRESPONSIBLE about getting my homework from when I was absent!" The other girl's cat face started to show sweat at the flames emitting from her friend's blue eyes.

". . . well . . . you see, Toumo-chan . . . I . . . sort of—"

"YOU LOST THEM?!?!?" she roared, Toumo's voice strangely intimidating for such a slight-framed girl. Botan meeped, her feline countenance disappearing as she cowered fearfully under the other girl's glare. Yukina put a hand to her mouth, trying to hide the quiet laughter threatening to spill out of her . . . but to no success. A few light, musical giggles escaped as she watched her friend continue to yell her frustration out at Botan . . .

A gentle breeze floated by, ruffling her light, sea-green hair . . . closing her eyes, then looking up into the sky above, over the rooftops of the buildings—

"What?" she questioned quietly, her forehead knitting together in puzzlement as she continued to survey the rooftop of the building, more carefully this second time . . . she could have . . . SWORN—

"Hey . . . Yukina-chan . . . ?" she now heard Toumo inquire in a much calmer voice . . . looking back to her friend, the brunette continued, as Botan turned to look where the red-eyed girl's gaze had been not moments ago. "What's wrong?" Yukina shook her head in the negative, wide, innocent crimson eyes flickering back to the roof.

"Nothing . . ." she replied, her voice slightly faint as she searched the outline of the top of the building one last time . . .

"Did you see something?" Looking at Botan with a gentle smile, she shook her head again.

"No . . . I'm sorry. It was only a bird . . ." Then she remembered something. "—ne, Botan-chan, don't you need to do something today . . . ?" The blue-haired girl's fuschia eyes widened with realization.

Hurriedly, the girl checked her watch, the digital screen reading ' 3:57 '. "I HAVE A CLARINET LESSON AT FOUR!!!" And she took off down the street, yelling behind her, "JA, YUKINA-CHAN!! JA, TOUMO-CHAN!!!" The two girls sweatdropped at the sight of their friend's disappearing figure, until the brunette broke the silence.

"I had best be going, too . . . ballet lessons." Toumo stuck out her tongue, scrunching up her face to show her intense dislike of the dance. Yukina laughed a bit.

"I'm sure you'll enjoy it." she offered kindly. "I'll see you tomorrow, Toumo-chan."

"See ya, Yukina-chan!" And so the two girls parted, each going their separate ways home . . .

- - - - - - -

Perhaps breathing a bit harder than usual, the red-eyed boy sat, eyes slightly widened, his back pressed against the hard concrete of the short wall erected around the building's roof. Heart still thumping, his mind drifted back . . .

Almost . . . she had . . . almost . . .

Trying to shake his head free of the conflicting thoughts, he turned back around, peeking over the edge to easily spot the petite girl making her way to the gate of the school. Readying himself, he followed her . . . unseen in his position atop the various business' roofs . . . as she walked, oblivious to her guardian, on the sidewalk below . . .

A few minutes (and the occasional roof-to-roof leap) later, the separated pair came upon the residential stretch of the 'rich' district . . . his thoughts shadowed for a moment as he made his way down by way of another familiar fire escape . . . but still kept a good distance behind her.

Meiou High . . . the private school . . . for all the 'rich' kids . . .

Glancing up furtively, he hastily drank in the details of his sister's red uniform and allowed himself a small moment of pride . . . before looking away quickly.

Yes, he was glad his sister went to the private school . . . glad that she had been in the same foster family for her entire life . . . glad . . . that she didn't know she had a brother.

He sighed almost inaudibly, right hand fingering the switchblade he kept in his uniform's pants pocket . . . eyes darkening, the now dangerous gaze swept around the scene, keeping a sharp lookout for anything that might threaten his only kin . . .

Hiei watched discreetly as she made her way down the walk, to the cream-colored house at the end of the block . . . smiling slightly at his twin's fumbling around for her keys . . . then letting herself in . . . he turned around, not wanting to be seen in this . . . disgustingly RICH neighborhood . . . memories running in his mind like an old movie . . .

(::flashback::)

A nine-year-old boy sat between the motherly woman's folded legs, red eyes watching in fascination as she turned the pages, her own dark eyes almost smiling as softly as she was, as she explained the old, yellowed documents . . .

"Now, Hiei-chan . . . this is your sister—"he quickly turned around to look at her face-to-face, eyes wide.

"I have a sister?!" Miuko smiled again, tapping him on the button nose as she returned her gaze to the album, his own eyes soon following.

"Yes, Hiei-chan. Your mother gave birth to fraternal twins." The young eyes traveled over the old picture, of the two infants . . . his hand reached out to trace over the girl's newborn face . . .

"What's her name?" The boy asked softly, unable to tear his gaze from the ages-old photo.

". . . Yukina . . . and . . . by two minutes—" the woman supplied gently, hugging the dear son to her gently "—she's your little sister." He had sat quietly then, until suddenly piping up.

"Can we go see her?" Miuko smiled happily, closing her eyes as she again embraced the poor little child who had been through so much, feeling her throat constrict with unshed tears.

"Of course . . ."

(::end flashback::)

He scoffed quietly, the black boots clacking softly over the pavement as the sun began to wane . . . not feeling like going home to the drunken antics of his foster father, he decided instead to head for the park . . . at least THERE no one would bother him . . .

- - - - - - -

Finding his usual secluded 'corner' free, he climbed up the branches of the old, sturdy pine that was encircled by a thick grove of smaller, younger trees. Ignoring the sap already starting to stain his uniform (it's not like it mattered, anyway . . . ) he settled himself on one particularly comfortable branch, where he could see the sun starting to set beyond the skyline decorated by buildings . . .

- - - - - - -

Beginning to doze after a while, he finally closed his eyes, just resting them . . . he'd sneak back home by the time the old booze-king should have finally drunk himself into a half-conscious stupor . . . thought started to fade away into blissful dark . . . .

. . . until—

"Are you really going to sleep up there all night?" A mild voice asked from below. Growling slightly at the interruption of his nap, garnet eyes flicked open to glare down through the branches . . . spotting a mess of red, he narrowed his eyes, wondering how the boy knew he was up here, before leaning back once again in an attempt to sleep. After a few minutes of silence, the redhead continued.

"That's not very polite. Usually you are expected to answer when asked a question." The alto voice continued, though there was no indication of annoyance . . . as though he was merely stating a fact.

"Hn." The black-uniformed teen finally responded, not moving from his place. "It's none of your business." He heard a chuckle.

"Perhaps you're right . . . however, it IS my business when a switchblade lands at my feet from out of a tree."

In an instant Hiei was down (having instantly checked his pockets, and found nothing), on the ground, facing the tall, green-eyed teen, barely noting the amused gleam in the boy's eyes. Fixing a glare on him, he registered with a quick glance that said blade was nowhere in sight (otherwise he would have surely snatched it by now), though the right hand was submerged in one jeans pocket.

"Give it." He demanded, red eyes cold and hard. The redhead pulled it slowly out of his pocket, twidling the blade between his long, elegant fingers, then moved his green gaze almost lazily back to the tense boy in front of him. Hiei fought off his temper, instead continuing icily, "Give. It." Finally giving in, the red-haired boy let out a long sigh, extending the hand holding the blade. The red-eyed teen reached for it with a speed that showed his years of training under the sword, but still the redhead managed to pull it away. He looked up at the boy, aghast at first, but soon covering it up with another dark glare and a low hiss.

Unexpectedly, the tall boy laughed, merriment still clear in his eyes when the amusing outburst was over with.

"Actually, I think I'll keep it." Hiei growled, and the boy winked, again managing to leave him speechless. "Someone could get hurt with this, ne?" he continued, pocketing the weapon and starting to walk away. Frozen for a moment at this boy's boldness, Hiei suddenly growled and flung himself at the retreating figure.

"I SAID—GIVE IT!!" Expecting to easily pin the girlish-looking boy on his front, not caring if he actually hurt the other or not, he was surprised when the teen turned swiftly, blocking his attack easily and causing Hiei to spring back onto his own feet, immediately retreating into a defensive position.

Hard green eyes took him in, so very different from the expressive, amused ones they had been earlier. Hiei nearly shivered, but held his ground, keeping the position he had landed in. After waiting what seemed like hours (a few minutes) Hiei finally attacked, faking a flat-handed thrust to the side of the boy's head. Easily dodging, a low alto voice commented.

"You'll have to do better than that." Feeling the icy rage begin to boil at the shade of confidence in his tone, Hiei gritted his teeth and continued his attack, throwing dead-aim martial arts at the boy who dodged them with such complete and utter lack of effort, it only infuriated him more. At last there was a moment of respite, where Hiei was panting and still glaring icy daggers at his adversary.

Now the boy glanced up at the sky, straightening out of his stance. Hiei stood as well, though cautiously and slowly, never moving his eyes from his opponent.

"I must be going." The redhead bowed slightly to him, then fished in his pocket once again. "Here's your blade." The black-handled weapon landed with a soft 'thud' on the grass-covered ground. Hiei stared at him, suspicious. The boy shook his head with a smile as he turned around, disappearing into the trees with one last, faint comment filtering back.

". . . you need it . . ." Puzzled at the almost whispering tone, Hiei slowly walked forward, picking up the blade and carefully examining it, as though to expect a forgery of some kind . . . satisfied, he shrugged, pocketing the sharp object once again and heading off to his own home . . . with a grunt, he laughed at the irony.

Because what a perfectly beautiful 'home' it was . . .

- - - - - -

ok, 'cause you guys reviewed (4 reviews in 2 days! soo cool! Thanks, minna! =n.n=)

lol, ok, the next chapter will be Kurama's day after school; that means it's the same day here, people . . . -.-;

PLEASE try not to get confused . . . it sorta IS a tad confusing n.n;;;;

err . . .

- Kita-chan peace out =n.n=

PS

Arigato . . .

_Volpe Di Spirito_

_kikira-san_

_kitsune (aka kisune? I dunno . . . ::swirly-eyed:: oro . . .)_

_Fairren_

I REALLY appreciate it.

:3

=n.n=

PPS

Review, and you'll get another update (hopefully?) before another week is out. ;3

That goes for EVERYONE reading this message right HERE!

n.n;;

eheh . . . heh . . .

PPPS

I tried to update earlier, but I was at my grandparents and their computer wouldn't upload stuff T.T

u.u;; sigh . . . but I DID try, minna-san! lol n.n;

well . . .

Ja ne! =n.n=

PPPPS

Oo;

Whoa, I think this is the most 'post-scripts' I've ever put in a single chapter n.n;; eheh . . .

ANYWAY, I JUS got the DVD for 'Terrible Truths' and so I now KNOW that 'Meiou' (Kura and Yuki and Botan's school) is actually spelled 'Meio' . . . and that the fangirls at Kura's school don't call him 'Shuichi-chan', but instead 'Minamino-kun' . . .

. . . but I like the spelling of 'Meio' as 'Meiou' better :3

. . . AND I don't feel like going back and reposting the last chapter just to fix the whole 'Shuichi-chan' thing, sooo . . .

JUS LIVE WITH IT, OKAY?!?

—but at the beginning of the next chapter it'll be changed, jus as a warning . . .

-.-# sigh.

confusing, ne?

-.-;; sigh . . .


	3. Mothers

Disclaimer: Kita doesn't own yuyu. So don't you/you sue.

**AU – Tatakoe koukou no shusseki suru: Attending Tatakoe High**

_(alternate universe, shonen ai) Kurama and Hiei are normal humans attending regular, everyday human school. NOT YOUR USUAL SCHOOL 'AU' FIC. This time they DON'T go to the same high school . . . pairings; KurHiei, YusKei, KuwYuk, KoeBot._

Shonen ai (perhaps some yaoi) eventually. n.n;;

BE WARNED if you don't like it, ok, minna-san? =n.n=

Pairings: Kurama x Hiei, Yusuke x Keiko, Kuwabara x Yukina, Koenma x Botan

Semi-important notes . . .

1- Yusuke, Keiko and Kuwabara's school is still Sarayashiki Junior High (Yusuke, Kuwabara and Keiko are all fourteen).

2- Hiei's school is Tatakoe High (the next step for students in Sarayashiki Junior High).

3- Kurama, Yukina and Botan's school is Meiou High. (Hiei, Kurama, Yukina and Botan are all sixteen).

4- Hiei lives across the city from where everyone else lives (a completely different part of town).

5- You'll find out about Koenma later ('wink' n.n;; )

ok, what with school starting (for me) on Aug. 30th and all . . . yea . . . but I'll TRY to update every Thursday or Friday, minna-san!

Scout's Honor!

(but I'm a junior now, so who KNOWS what horrors await me ;.;)

. . . n.n;; . . . eheh . . .

ok, jus as I promised, this chapter is the **same day** as the last two chapters, only in . . .

**Kurama's** POV . . .

n.n;;

lol, jus so you all know . . . ne, minna-san? =n.n=

- - - - - - -

**Thursday afternoon**

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

_. . . beforehand . . ._

- - - - - - -

"ONEGAI, Minamino-chan!!!"

"Minamino-kun!!" Stiffening at the flighty female voices, he dared to turn around, only to see a mob of crimson-clad girls racing towards him. Sweatdropping, the boy started to run back home again, quickly brushing past the black-haired boy from earlier, who was walking contemplatively down the street.

"Excuse me!" he cried, sweeping past the boy in an instant.

- - - - - - -

- - - - - - -

Chapter Three

_Mothers_

- - - - - - -

"I'm home!" the redhead called out cheerfully.

'Cheerfully' because . . .

He had managed to escape the fangirls of his school in one piece.

It was a beautiful day!

HE HAD MANAGED TO ESCAPE THE FANGIRLS IN ONE PIECE!! ( =n.n= )

An answering reply came from the kitchen, and he smiled upon recognizing his mother's voice. Carefully slipping out of his shoes, he placed them neatly next to hers, storing his school bag against the cream-colored wall, ready to be taken up.

But first things first . . .

He walked into the kitchen, breathing in the soft, slightly sweet scent wafting up from the oven. Bending down, he glanced inside, straightening when he failed to discern what it was.

". . . 'kasaan . . . ?" he began, and she turned around; a warm smile appearing on her well-worn, middle-aged face . . . a white apron draped over her slim figure. He smiled back, something that would easily reduce any of his admirers to a muddled puddle of nothing . . . but the quiet content even reached up to his green eyes. "What are you making?" he asked mildly, walking over to her side and deciding to rely on charm to find the answer.

Shiori blinked, then leaned up on her tip-toes to give him a peck on the cheek and then pulled away, still with a smile on her face.

"It's something different. You'll find out at breakfast tomorrow." The glint in her eyes failed to escape the green-eyed teen's notice and he sighed. He knew when he had no chance . . . his mother laughed, turning back around to the counter.

"Besides . . . I bought some pocky for you today . . . it's in the cupboard." Her son chuckled, going over to the cabinet, rummaging around and pulling out a large box of the various-flavored dipped snacks.

"Ah, strawberry . . . you know me too well, 'kasaan." he admitted, opening the economy-size box and pulling out a pack of the thin, six-inch sticks. After replacing it on the shelf, he opened the foil covering, and pulled out one, immediately biting off the end with a sharp 'snap!' Shiori chuckled upon hearing the sound.

Walking to stand next to her again, he offered her one, at to which she shook her head, politely refusing.

"No, Shu-kun, you enjoy it. That's all you're having until dinner." Giving him a motherly glare from the corner of her eye for a moment, she continued, reinforcing the silent point. "Got that, musuko?" He shook his head and smiled, giving her a light kiss on the cheek before turning to leave the kitchen.

"Hai, 'kasaan. I'm going to do my homework now." He went out into the hallway, picking up and slinging his bag over his shoulder, the strawberry-dipped snack still held carefully in his free hand.

"Sou, Shuichi! You're so responsible . . ." he heard her call up the stairs. Smiling inwardly, and with a small shake of his head—that ever so slightly ruffled the crimson locks—he made his way up to his room, sliding the door open, depositing the backpack on the bed next to his desk and setting his snack on the desk itself. He quickly changed into more comfortable clothing; a simple button-up pale green silk shirt and dark jeans. Finally walking over to the window, he opened it and a breeze blew by, causing his red locks to be rumpled for the second time that day. After a moment he turned back to his desk, taking it in . . . before going to sit down with a sigh, pulling his long red hair back into a loose bun, and retrieving his books and a pencil . . .

- - - a few hours later - - - -

Left hand propping up his fair face . . . slender brows furrowed in thought . . . the pack of strawberry pocky lying empty on the desk . . . he scratched out the final answer on his trigonometry homework.

Smiling broadly as he stood and stretched, lifting his arms straight above his head, taking the hair tie out and letting the crimson locks run free . . . they brushed the small of his back as he continued to stretch, his back arched like a cat's.

With a satisfied sigh . . . he relaxed, letting his shoulders slump forward as he then took to the task of neatly re-packing his schoolbag. Said bag now slung over one shoulder, he thumped lightly down the stairs, then placed it in the entranceway; ready to be taken to school in the morning. As it was still early fall, and not too chilly, he slipped on his shoes, opening the door and calling back into the house.

"I'm going out, 'kasaan!"

A muffled 'hai!' of confirmation was heard and he stepped onto the paved white walk, closing the door securely behind him. The breeze met its old friend again, this time blowing the red locks OUT of his face, not into it . . . smiling, he made his way to the park, watching distantly as the falling leaves of the trees decorated the street, sprinkling a bit of color even on the drab, grey road.

Voting for the more secluded bit of the park (the thick grove of thin trees encircling a very old pine) he found what he was looking for soon enough . . . he stood quietly, almost reverently, under the ageless tree, taking in the beauty of the forest around him, the sounds of birds softly chirping to one another, a stray rabbit poking its head out of—

He jerked back involuntarily, upon hearing something plummet out of the tree above . . . then found himself looking down at an object that had landed squarely in front of his feet. Bending his knees to pick it up, he then straightening and turned it over in his palm, examining the polished black surface . . . his eyes widened as he realized what it was; looking quickly up, he had to squint his eyes to discern the black-clad figure among the dark, thick branches . . . eh? . . . was that person . . . SLEEPING?

In . . . a tree . . . ? ( Oo; )

How odd . . . upon looking back to the object in his hand, he hid it quickly in his right pocket, deciding at last to speak, keeping his voice mild yet still amiable.

- - - - - - -

Lost in thought, the green-eyed teen barely noticed the shadows of night starting to fall as the sun set over the buildings in the west. By the time he had arrived at his doorstep, Shuichi finally looked up, the dying light enhancing the crimson-colored locks spilling over one slim shoulder. He sighed after a moment, head hanging down again as his thoughts trailed to the boy caught in his mind's eye . . .

Glaring at him with a challenging glance, slight form positioned so that the blue-black-haired boy's shoulders were thrust back in a slouch . . . causing his thin hips to look as though they were out of alignment, and angled forward . . . giving the teen a dangerous and 'rebellious' look . . . the odd white starburst just over his forehead matching the white headband; but starkly contrasting to everything else . . . the collar of the black school uniform was flared up, hiding pale skin, but the dull, grey undershirt could be clearly viewed under the black pendant hanging off his neck . . . and his eyes . . .

Shuichi shook his head, clearing it, and—thankfully—recalled an assignment he had yet to do. He entered the house quietly, slipping out of his shoes and heading to the kitchen. A note was taped to the refrigerator and the redhead walked over, eyes scanning the characters . . . green orbs twinkling slightly when finished. With a smile and a shake of his head, he deposited the paper into the trash. The jade-eyed redhead pulled out a few slices of bread, along with some ham, efficiently making a sandwich. Pouring himself a glass of healthy skim milk (the only kind his mother bought) he then put away all the remaining foodstuffs, sitting down at the table for his simple dinner.

Between bites, he found his memory trailing back to that image of the teen . . . yes—he remembered vaguely running into him as he ran away from his school earlier that day . . . but . . . the redhead chewed silently, thoughts centering on the unusual color of the boy's eyes . . . red? . . . who has RED eyes . . . ? he wondered, sifting through his mind to try to recall if he's EVER seen anyone with that color of—oh.

There was someone—a girl—who actually DIDN'T swoon whenever he was around her . . . she had a friend, too . . . a blue-haired one, who, though pretty bubbly, seemed nice enough . . . he shrugged, finishing the last of his sandwich and downing the remaining milk. Placing the dirtied dishes in the sink to be washed later, he headed out into the entranceway, fetching a book from the backpack leaning against the immaculate wall.

He headed upstairs to his room and, after tossing the literature easily on his bed, began to search his closet for pajamas. Finding a pair, he slung the clothes over one arm, walking over and turning off the light; then changing quickly in the now-dim room. Next he headed to the adjoining bathroom, brushing his teeth and braiding his long red hair back; tying it off with what was perhaps the only 'scrunchie' he owned.

Flicking off the bathroom light, as well, he made his way into the lightless bedroom, sauntering over to the still-open window and gazing out at the city beyond . . .

The sky, accented with streaks of deep pink and purple, washed over the bustling city like a vortex had opened up, drawing the colors to some new plain . . . the twinkling lights in the dark bluish sillouette of the buildings were the only signs of life that he could see . . . from here, anyway. Now with a somewhat somber look on his face, the redhead turned back to the western-style bed, walking over, climbing in, and miraculously managing to find his book amongst the covers.

Flopping over on his stomach, Shuichi switched on the small lamp that had been placed on the desk next to his bed, flooding the sheets with a crisp white light. He opened the book and began scanning the table of contents for a subject that sparked his interest . . .

". . . let's see, now . . . myths . . . . . . . saints . . . . angels . . . legends and gods . . . . . . . . . . demons?" Slender brows furrowing in slight puzzlement, he ran his gaze down the page, reading over the names until one caught his eye.

". . . youko Kurama?"

A small chuckle escaped him at the irony. He remembered hearing stories from his grandfather, as a small child. From then on Shuichi had always held some respect for the kitsune bandit . . . that is, until he discovered that the silver thief was only a legend. In fact, he had begun to model himself after the thief, stealing little trinkets from hard-to-reach spots, only replacing them when his mother found out and scolded him for 'stealing' . . . but he had only been practicing . . . he'd meant to return the items . . . eventually . . . but, in the end, it had gotten so bad that Shiori had eventually forbade his grandfather to tell stories of the mythical fox to her son EVER again.

Needless to say, many years after the incident, whenever he would do something wrong, his mother would always blame 'Kurama'; that invisible, mischevious presence that had somehow engrained itself into the redhead's young (and usually well-behaved) personality.

Interest now peaked, though more with a teen's casual indifference than his child-self's obvious enthusiasm, Shuichi thumbed to the designated page . . . wondering what stories the book could tell that he didn't already know . . . glancing up at the clock, he found the time to read ' 9:52 ' . . . and, shrugging, he checked his alarm, made sure it was working, then, a topic found, continued to read well into the night.

- - - - - - -

Friday morning

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Silence. Ah, blissful silence . . . and sleep . . . 'oh, to sleep, perchance to dream' . . . that we may find ourselves not in the waking world at all, but living some wonderful nightmare that can be found only by—

BEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!!!

Letting out a muffled groan, all previous thoughts of the past night were swept clean at the sound, and the half-asleep redhead rolled over, slapping a hand down on the offending clock, successfully silencing the alarm. He rolled over again, just starting to drift back to that blissful dreamworld—

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the buzzer cried, more insistently, now.

Making the mistake of opening his eyes in frustration, to glare at the annoying clock, bright sunlight met his gaze and he instantly squinted; the green orbs tightly closed shut once again. With a sigh that gradually turned into a yawn, Shuichi sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand and then gazing blearily around the room. Checking the digital clock at his bedside, it was currently ' 6:06 ' – what a perfect time to get up, he thought dryly, stretching and shuffling out of bed, towards the shower located in the bathroom connected to his room.

- - - - - - -

Walking somewhat cheerfully to school, his route took him past the line of mansions that led down to the private academy. Looking uninterestedly at the rows of 'fashionable' houses, a flicker at the edge of his vision caught his eye. Shuichi turned his head to get a better look in the direction from which it had come, but by the time his eyes had shifted, it was gone . . .

A soft, gentle voice calling out woke him from his thoughts, and his jade eyes looked up ahead of him. At the next house on this 'rich' street, a girl with . . . pale green? . . . hair, clad in the red skirt and crimson button-up suit-shirt of his school was skipping lightly down the steps, completely oblivious to his presence. He watched her, yet continued walking, as she reached the mailbox; turning and waving farewell to someone inside the house . . . when she had turned halfway back around, her startled gaze registered some surprise at spotting him coming down the street, and she hesitantly waved, a small, nice, and yet still very shy gesture. He smiled warmly in return, finally reaching her . . . and, at last remembering the red-eyed girl's name, spoke.

"Ohayou gozaimasu, Niisa-san." she bowed, returning the greeting.

"Ohayou gozaimasu, Minamino-san."

He continued to speak after she had straightened out of her respectful bow.

"Would you mind if I walk with you? I fear I might succumb to loneliness before I reach the school." he asked, smiling. She just smiled right innocently back, her eyes genuinely wanting to help.

"Of course, Minamino-san. It would be my honor." she agreed in her soft and quiet voice, turning politely to walk next to the redhead. He chuckled inwardly as they walked down the sidewalk, secretly glad that the girl hadn't been reduced to a puddle of nothing upon seeing him smile . . . she might make quite a good friend . . .

"Excuse me . . . Minamino-san?" He turned his head so that he was looking at her, but keeping one eye on the sidewalk ahead, as they kept walking.

"Hai?"

"I'm . . . very sorry to bother you with this—"she began, stuttering shyly over her words ". . . but, I seem to be . . . struggling in Math—and Literature . . . . . do you think that, if you could spare the trouble . . . you could help me?" she asked, her voice growing more timid with each word. There was silence as he thought for a moment, then smiled, nodding as they reached the gates of Meiou High.

"Hai, Niisa-san. I would be happy to help." She nodded, then spotted a blue-haired friend of hers across the way, who was waving at her.

"Oh! Gomen nasai, Minamino-san, but I need to get going . . . my friend is—"He smiled, nodding again.

"By all means; of course. But how does Monday after school sound to you, Niisa-san?"

"It's fine—" She answered with a smile of her own. "—ja ne, Minamino-san!" She flurried away, and, not a moment after she had retreated safely to the other side of the courtyard, the familiar horde of fangirls latched onto him.

"Oh, Minamino-kun, what was that about?"

"Who was that girl?"

"Did you get a girlfriend?"

"No, no, nothing like that—"he began, gently prying a blonde-haired girl from her surprisingly strong grip on his arm and starting to walk politely away. "Niisa-san only asked me if I could help her in a few subjects."

Which, of course, led to the cries of . . .

"OH!! Minamino-kun, I need help, too! I'm nearly failing Science!"

"Me, as well! English is SO hard, and I know if YOU explain it—"

"PLEASE, Minamino-kun, I just don't GET Math!"

Ah—it was going to be a LONG day . . .

- - - - - - -

Already-narrowed garnet eyes took in the scene below . . . that of the pale, green-haired schoolgirl hurrying over to her friends . . . and almost immediately afterwards, how a large mob of girls crowded around the tall, redheaded teen at the gate . . . and the bearer of the sharp, crimson gaze stood atop the roof of the building next to the school, watching . . .

- - - - - - -

whew!!!

n.n

another chapter successfully completed!

=n.n=

yay me!

lol ( n.n;;; )

eheh . . . well, as I said before, my school starts on Aug. 30th, but I really WILL honestly TRY to update about every Thursday or Friday!

=n.n=

wish me luck, minna-san!

and don't forget to review!!

I appreciate it sooo much when you do!!

- Kita-chan peace out =n.n=

PS

Arigato to . . .

crazy-lil-nae-nae (thanks! :3)

kikira-san (lol, too true n.n;; eheh . . .)

Fairren (=n.n=)

kitsune (danke! [German -.-;] =n.n=)

shadow priestess ( oo;; really? 'Meiou' is somewhat correct?!? oo;;; . . . sweet . . . oh, and I'm glad the four 'PS's were the only drawback that you found . . . n.n;; eheh . . .)

AngentPenguin207 (aww, thankies! :3 )

Queen of the Paperclips ( n.n;; lol, I like your username . . . and I'll agree with you somewhat . . . it's slightly different than the other school AU fics (in terms of intensity of the characters? Oo; that's my POV, eheh n.n;;) . . . BUT they're ALL basically about Hiei ( . . . and Yukina . . . and Botan . . . and Koenma [ Oo;; ] ) going to school, ne? n.n;;;;; lol . . . I guess . . . that's what makes them 'school AU' fics, ne? . . . . . . Oo;;;; whoa . . . . . my thoughts jus went in a completely RANDOM and POINTLESS circle— X.x;; . . . kami . . . I need an aspirin . . . ;.; . . . -.-;;;; sigh . . .)

. . . and minna-san, don't forget to press that pretty little button below these last few (hundred? Oo;) lines of text =n.n=)

ES!!! (Extra Script! =n.n= )

I can't resist, lol ( n.n;; ) 

A question that you will eventually find out the answer to . . .

Hiei has a bandana in this fic.

WHY does he have a bandana when he doesn't have a Jagan?!?

. . . . . . .

muahaha!!

keep on reading and reviewing to find out!! ;3

(unless you've already guessed why . . . Oo;;; . . . erk! . . .)

. . . and . . . we will perhaps see Yusuke in the next chappie . . . 'wink' n.n;; lol . . .

eheh . . . heh . . . . . . heh . . . . . . . ahhh . . .

JA NE, MINNA-SAN!!!

n.n;;;;;

eheh . . .

(sorry for the astounding number of 'PS's again, shadow priestess-san . . . Oo;; oops, I did it again . . . . GAH!! BRITANY SPEARS!!! SERIOUSLY NOOOO PUN INTENDED!!!! gerk!! ::burns song:: . . . -.-# )


	4. Another rival

**AU – Tatakoe koukou no shusseki suru: Attending Tatakoe High**

_(alternate universe, shonen ai) Kurama and Hiei are normal humans attending regular, everyday human school. NOT YOUR USUAL SCHOOL 'AU' FIC – because THIS time they DON'T go to the same high school . . . pairings; KurHiei, YusKei, KuwYuk, KoeBot._

Shonen ai (perhaps some yaoi) eventually. n.n;;

BE WARNED if you don't like it, ok, minna-san? =n.n=

Pairings: Kurama x Hiei, Yuusuke x Keiko, Kuwabara x Yukina, Koenma x Botan

Disclaimer: Kita doesn't own yuyu. So don't you/you sue.

Semi-important notes . . .

1- Yuusuke, Keiko and Kuwabara's school is still Sarayashiki Junior High (Yuusuke, Kuwabara and Keiko are all fourteen).

2- Hiei's school is Tatakoe High (the next step for students in Sarayashiki Junior High).

3- Kurama, Yukina and Botan's school is Meiou High. (Hiei, Kurama, Yukina and Botan are all sixteen).

4- Hiei lives across the city from where everyone else lives (a completely different part of town).

5- You'll find out about Koenma later ('wink' n.n;; )

6- Ah, yes! =n.n= in leiu of watching when 'Yuusuke's abducted', I actually found out that 'Yuusuke' is completely and utterly CORRECT! =n.n= sugoi!!

(if ya want to know, they had the hiragana for 'yu' then, separately 'u' then 'su' then 'ke' ! so the sound's doubled! =n.n= in ADDITION, with me wanting this fic to be as realistic / valid [ based on the series ] as possible, I'm going to use 'Yuusuke' from now on . . . not 'Yusuke'!! :3 )

well . . . I'll at least TRY to REMEMBER to use it, minna-san. n.n;;; lol . . .

::shrugs:: the other reason I'm doing this is because I'm apparently using the 'correct' version of 'Meiou' (instead of 'Meio') . . . and thanks for the clue, shadow priestess-san!! =n.n= arigato gozaimasu!!

ok, not TOO much (more) inane rambling before the fic ( ;.; sigh . . . u.u;; )

. . . but ANYWAY, thankies are at the end and, yes, the so-called 'main character' of yuyu will be seen today!

=n.n=

SUGOI!!

lol n.n;; . . .

ok, I'm moving on now . . . ( -.-;;; ) . . .

[ ah, yes, and btw, the 'x's are the dividers because f a n f i c t i o n . n e t won't let you use ANY non-letter things as breaks anymore!! ;.; ::cries:: u.u;; . . . ]

(xxxxxxx)

**Friday morning**

(xxxxxxxxxxxxx)

_. . . beforehand . . ._

(xxxxxxx)

Already-narrowed garnet eyes took in the scene below . . . that of the pale-green-haired schoolgirl hurrying over to her friends . . . and almost immediately afterwards, how a large mob of girls crowded around the tall, redheaded teen at the gate . . . as the bearer of the crimson gaze stood atop the roof of the building next to the school, watching . . .

(xxxxxxx)

(xxxxxxx)

Chapter Four

_Another rival_

(xxxxxxx)

Ch.

Disgusting . . .

If that popular pretty boy was planning on playing his sister, kami had better help him, for otherwise there would be no way for the redhead to escape . . . scoffing, he turned his gaze back to his kin, the ghost of some soft feeling finding its way into his normally stoic gaze . . . then again, she DID look somewhat happy . . .

After stealing another almost wistful glance at his sister, Hiei abruptly turned around, walking across the roof, and climbed down the nearest fire escape within a matter of minutes.

He was in no especial rush to get back to the other side of town . . . to attend school . . . while walking down the street in a bored fashion, he found himself wandering upon a different school . . . the short, spiky-haired teen stopped at the gate, gazing up at the sign . . .

Hn.

A kid school; the 'public' junior high, or middle school, depending on your generation . . .

Catching sight of something moving in the courtyard, beyond the gate, he spotted some . . . ahem . . . CHILDREN . . . having a fist-fight. He made a mental note that one of them was in green; while the rest dressed in dark blue. Leaping up to perch on the wall, under the concealing shade of a tree, he watched the proceedings with a bare amount of interest.

(xxxxxxx)

"Man, don't you guys know any better?" the punk complained, using a finger to dig in his ear, one eye closed in uncertainty. "Even new guys should know not to mess with me—"

"We don't care who you THINK you are, kid!" one of the group of three spoke up boldly. "WE'RE the new punks at this school, now!"

"Yeah!" another boy put in, though slightly nervous . . . the last of the trio choosing to remain silent; eyeing the punk's blatant refusal to conform to the uniform code and the casual demeanor in how he was speaking to them . . . the boy was beginning to doubt whether his friend challenging him had been a good idea or not . . .

The punk sighed.

"It's your funeral." And he pulled a cocky grin. "Come and get it, boys." The foremost, perhaps the leader, charged forward, bringing his left fist back for a bone-crushing punch . . . but Urameshi beat him to it, getting the inexperienced kid in the gut and sending him to the ground. The other two looked on, backing up a bit as the brown-eyed teen stood over the boy that was currently clutching his stomach.

"You give up yet? Or do I have to beat it into you?" The chestnut-haired kid looked up, eyes watering with the force of the blow, but stood up, staggering toward him, calling out names.

"You coward! Hitting me like that! In the GUT! What's WRONG with you? Don't you play FAIR, cheater?!?" Urameshi scoffed, dodging the swaying boy's punches easily and landing a few solid ones of his own. The kid hit the ground, unconscious, and his two friends hurried and dragged up and him away, running inescapably fast.

"And don't you forget it!" he yelled after their retreating backs. Then he laughed, pulling a smoke out of his pocket and lighting up, walking over to lean against the cold concrete of the school wall.

"D—n . . ." he mumbled to himself. "Why'd they have to lock the gate? Knew I shouldn't have come to school today . . ."

"Hn." The sudden sound startled the boy, who now leapt away from the wall, the newly-lit cigarette still in his mouth.

"Baka." continued the voice (apparently . . . ) in the tree. Yuusuke squinted his eyes, trying to discern . . . before the insult sunk in.

"NANI?!? Hey, I'm no baka! Who are you, anyway!?!"

"Ch. You're a fighter and yet you smoke." The figure jumped down from his perch so quickly, it almost looked as though he just . . . appeared . . . on the ground . . . but still he was nothing but a vague silhouette in the shadow of the tree's leaves from above. "You ARE a baka . . . Baka." Yuusuke blinked, then started laughing.

And here I was thinking it was some THREAT . . . he thought, amused with himself for getting so worked up over a little punk kid that was OBVIOUSLY still in elementary school . . .

"Hahaha . . . hey, kid, you should get back to school before they miss you . . . skipping's for the BIG boys, haha . . ." He heard a growl, that somehow managed to cut through his laughter, and looked up as the 'kid' stepped forward, into the light. His brown eyes widened.

Intense crimson eyes glared back at him coolly from the sharp, emotionless face. The black uniform was unbuttoned at the collar, the dull grey undershirt flaring out a bit around his neck. Spiky black hair with blue highlights stuck almost straight up, like flames. But the greased-haired teen's gaze was irrevocably drawn back to the eyes . . .

. . . red . . . RED?!? . . . NO ONE'S eyes should be red . . .

Yuusuke quickly recovered himself, though, putting on a hasty smirk.

"Yea, well, sorry man. I smoke. Nuttin' you can do 'bout it." The unusual-eyed teen opposite him scoffed, looking away condescendingly.

"Ch. It's none of my concern whether you die from the inside or the outside . . . demo—"the sparking gaze focused back on him from the corner of the one crimson eye he could see, "—I am no child." Yuusuke shrugged, taking another drag.

"Whatever. You're a midget either way." he calmly stated, not taking his gaze from the black-uniformed teen across from him, noting with satisfaction as he saw the tiniest of tremors shake the other's body . . . from anger, not fear. His smirk grew. "You heard me, RUNT." Yuusuke continued, baiting him.

Now the punk teen had the effect of a full-out glare aimed at him, but he just smiled.

"You don't think so? Then prove me wrong." he murmured arrogantly . . . Yuusuke knew he was testing the devil, provoking this guy . . . there was something . . . dangerous . . . about him . . . his adrenaline started to rush in anticipation of a fight . . .

It happened so fast he nearly failed to register it.

All he could remember was the continuous volley of punches and kicks that he was suddenly dodging . . . pretty easily, despite the speed . . . this guy OBVIOUSLY didn't have that much experience with hand-to-hand combat . . . but . . . his precision suggested that he had trained . . . in SOME form of battle . . . during a brief respite, where both Yuusuke and the kid were on opposite sides of the schoolyard, he called across to the black-uniformed teen.

"Hey, man . . . you're pretty good . . . what's your name?" Then the shorter teen was running toward him again and Yuusuke cursed as he felt his foot slip . . . the red-eyed boy pinned him to the ground during the moment of vulnerability, letting a smirk cross onto his cold face as he looked down at his opponent. Yuusuke could tell by the look in those hard eyes that the guy had just been WAITING for him to slip up . . .

" . . . Jaganshi . . ." the boy atop him answered in a darkly amused tone, his eyes reflecting a bare bit of the hardly discernable emotion in his voice, though his face was kept carefully blank . . . Yuusuke's brown orbs filled with a bit of confusion . . . Jaganshi? . . . wasn't that . . . the name of someone . . . who'd mastered . . . something . . . ? ". . . Jaganshi Hiei." Yuusuke smirked, shifting his body just the slightest bit in preparation.

"Well, Jaganshi, thanks for telling me." The other's eyes narrowed, most likely trying to figure out the confident tone, but before he could speak, the boy previously on top soon found himself thrown onto the ground; their positions reversed so fast he could only gape, staring, slightly wide-eyed, in surprise at the mocking brown gaze above him . . . the factor of weight.

Yuusuke took the look in with a smirk of his own; he could tell by the furious glare that the guy now pinned was cursing himself for forgetting the WEIGHT difference . . . "—It's always good to know who you beat, ne?" Jaganshi's eyes narrowed, his free hand slowly drifting closer to his right pocket, talking to his adversary as a distraction . . .

"Then who are YOU, then?" . . . and it worked. Yuusuke smiled broadly, thinking he had already won, and not noticing the stealthy hand moving to the black uniform's pants pocket . . .

"Urameshi Yuusuke! And don't you—"his breath was stopped short as he felt something cold and undoubtedly sharp pressing against his neck. Flicking his eyes down as he began to sweat, he realized that . . . he . . . Jaganshi . . . . . . he had . . . a . . . ". . . blade . . . ?" he whispered hoarsely, not trusting to speak too much . . . what with the well-polished steel edge that was a smooth threat against his flesh, just to the left of his Adam's apple. Yuusuke met the garnet eyes, and the 'runt' smirked darkly once again, eyes showing real intent.

He . . . WOULD . . .

"Hn. Very intelligent. You might want to remove yourself, Urameshi." the crimson-eyed teen spoke in a low voice, filled with the venomous promise and a slight increase of pressure to emphasize what would happen if the punk refused. Slowly, the green-uniformed teen backed off, and Jaganshi followed him, sitting up, making sure to keep the blade at the frightened boy's neck. Then he was standing, red orbs glaring directly down into brown eyes that struggled valiantly to hide the fear embedded deep within them.

"Don't forget this, Urameshi. YOU'RE the child here, and so you should take the chance to learn from this . . . NEVER pick a fight with someone older than you . . . . . . . . . ch." After the long pause, and at the last comment, he expertly flipped the blade back into its hand-held sheath, and leapt up to the top of the wall all in the same instant, about to leave, when a somewhat raspy voice called up from behind him.

"C—coward!" Jaganshi looked down, eyes narrowing at the brown-eyed teen, who was now sitting raggedly on the ground, breath a bit faster, as compensation for NOT breathing only a few moments ago . . .

"Nani." he stated dangerously, eyes nearly flashing, and Yuusuke repeated it, louder.

"You're a COWARD! You need that blade to win! You're no REAL fighter!" The garnet gaze narrowed, but Yuusuke ignored the look, chestnut eyes flaring as his voice rose. "You have no HONOR . . . it's the truth and you KNOW I'm right, Jaganshi!"

"Ch." The teen on the wall gave Yuusuke a prime view of his back. "Baka." And he leapt off, disappearing out of sight.

Yuusuke dropped back, feeling his neck and the small trickle of blood that had sprung from it, still thankful that the guy hadn't killed him . . .

"What a cutthroat . . ." he mumbled, vaguely noticing when Keiko rushed outside, ready to yell at him for skipping class—AND fighting—no doubt . . . but she saw the blood on his neck and hurried to his side, asking what happened. He glanced at her sheepishly, as a familiar carrot-top sauntered up behind the girl.

"No, don't worry about it, Keiko . . . I just . . . cut myself . . ."

"WHAT?!? Yuusuke!! Don't tell me that!! I KNOW someone pulled a blade on you!" The tearful girl cried. Surprised, Yuusuke looked up to Kuwabara, who nodded.

"I saw the whole thing, Urameshi. Made it down here as fast as I could, and Keiko caught up with me, but—" the carrot-top looked up at the spot on the wall where the guy had disappeared. "—D—N . . . that shrimp's QUICK . . ."

"Oh, Yuusuke!" Keiko cried, hugging him around the neck. "Don't you ever fight him AGAIN!!" He awkwardly patted her on the back, turning a light flush at the show of affection from the brunette spitfire . . .

(xxxxxx)

"Oi, Keiko . . . you can . . . let GO now . . ."

(xxxxxxx)

=n.n=

evil, evil Hiei, ne?

=n.n=

lol! n.n;;

but seriously, that's sorta what I was trying to do . . .

. . . get the 'seriousness' and 'intensity' of his character from the anime . . .

::shrugs::

please tell me what you think of it, minna-san!

:3

I'd truly LUV to know!

=n.n=

lol!

- Kita-chan n.n;;

PS

Arigato gozaimushta . . .

_Volpe di Spirito (::wide grin:: I'm not saying another WORD about Hiei's bandana!! ;3 lol! ::zips mouth shut:: [ oh yea, and please hurry and update for that KxH fic where Hiei's been turned into a cat =n.n= it's so cool! I want to read MORE, girl! =n.n= ] )_

_Hiei's Gothic Angel (::checks review page:: hey!! you didn't keep your word! ;.; oh well u.u;; . . . like your username, though =n.n= coolness . . . and thanks for reviewing, chica! ::peace sign:: =n.n= )_

_Br Lr (=n.n= thankies!! I always feel so special when someone adds me to their list =n.n= domo! lol n.n;; )_

_What2callmyself (ah! HI!! =n.n= I've seen your username before . . . in review responses in fics I've read, lol! X.x; erk!! n.n;; ANYWAY, thanks for the multi-story compliment! =n.n= arigato!! And yea, I agree with you about the 'small world' comment [ Oo;; ] odd that the torture [ a.k.a. 'school' -.-;;; ] begins for us on the same day, ne? . . . [ n.n;; lol . . . ] )_

_Hixku (thanks! =n.n= )_

_fugen (oi! fugen-chan! hello! n.......n [ a variation of the 'poor dead anime smiley' with the many lines at the bottom to signify happiness u.u;; ] soo glad you checked out my fics and liked the pic!! yay! =n.n= once again, domo, fugen-chan! :3 )_

_Crystal-Kuramas-gurl (n.n;;; eheh . . . glad you like it though . . . eheh . . . heh . . . [ Oo;;;;;;;;;; ] . . . . lol!! n.n;; nuttin but peace, chica! :3 )_

_shadow priestess (muahahaha; YES! the pocky will consume us all!! [ boy, if there ever was a contradiction in the world X.x;;;; ] n.................n [ yet ANOTHER variation of the 'poor dead anime smiley' that had the many lines at the bottom to signify happiness u.u;; ] lol, when I wrote that last chappie I had jus had my first box of (chocolate) pocky [ n.n;; ] eheh . . . haven't even TRIED the stawberry kind so far ;.; . . . the store I get mine at doesn't carry it [ yet? ]!! wah! T.T . . . BUT anyway . . . MONSTER-SIZED?!?! SWEET!!! ::dreamily:: over a foot long . . . centimeter thick . . . pocky . . . mMmmm . . . and, ah yes, back to the fic! n.n;; lol! suki [ for the review, as well ], shadow-san! =n.n= )_

_fox gal (danke! [ German again -.-;;; ] sorry, but you'll have to wait a bit, now . . . you just READ the new chappie, ne? lol n.n;; )_

Ja ne, and much luv, everyone! =n.....n=

Peace out! :3


	5. Matters of honor and aid

**AU – Tatakoe koukou no shusseki suru: Attending Tatakoe High**

_(alternate universe, shonen ai) Kurama and Hiei are normal humans attending regular, everyday human school. NOT YOUR USUAL SCHOOL 'AU' FIC – because THIS time they DON'T go to the same high school . . . pairings; KurHiei, YusKei, KuwYuk, KoeBot._

Shonen ai (perhaps some yaoi) eventually. n.n;;

BE WARNED if you don't like it, ok, minna-san? =n.n=

Pairings: Kurama x Hiei, Yuusuke x Keiko, Kuwabara x Yukina, Koenma x Botan

Disclaimer: Kita doesn't own yuyu. So don't you/you sue kudasai. :3

Semi-important notes . . .

1- Yuusuke, Keiko and Kuwabara's school is still Sarayashiki Junior High (Yuusuke, Kuwabara and Keiko are all fourteen).

2- Hiei's school is Tatakoe High (the next step for students in Sarayashiki Junior High).

3- Kurama, Yukina and Botan's school is Meiou High. (Hiei, Kurama, Yukina and Botan are all sixteen).

4- Hiei lives across the city from where everyone else lives (a completely different part of town).

yay!! =n.n=

chappie number five!!

sugoi! =n......n=

(wait a sec . . . I HATE the number five!! ;.; sigh u.u;; . . . ah, well . . . all things must pass, ne? t.t; )

eheh n.n;; . . .

ANYWAY, yea, gomen about updating a bit later than usual . . . but that's to be expected with school, ne?

u.u;; sigh . . .

alrighty-then, on to the chappie =n.n=

lol, there's a bit of (slight?) comic relief in here, as well, eheh n.n;;

thankies are at the end! =n.n=

(xxxxxxx)

**Friday, late morning**

(xxxxxxxxxxxxx)

_. . . beforehand . . ._

(xxxxxxx)

"You're a COWARD! You need that blade to win! You're no REAL fighter!" The garnet gaze narrowed, but Yuusuke ignored the look, chestnut eyes flaring as his voice rose. "You have no HONOR . . . it's the truth and you KNOW I'm right, Jaganshi!"

"Ch." The teen on the wall gave Yuusuke a prime view of his back. "Baka." And he leapt off, disappearing out of sight.

(xxxxxxx)

(xxxxxxx)

Chapter Five

_Matters of honor and aid_

(xxxxxxx)

Urameshi . . .

Urameshi Yuusuke . . . . . .

. . . hn . . .

Splayed out on the most comfortable branch he could find, Hiei lay flat on his back, fingers idly playing with the switchblade in his hands, crimson eyes dim and distant.

You're a COWARD!! yelled the memory in his head; and he winced inwardly.

You need that blade to WIN!! At this Hiei gritted his teeth, squeezing his eyes closed . . . shut UP, he told the memory in his mind—but the voice kept insisting, ignoring his command—

You're no REAL fighter!!

. . . you need it . . . a soft, calm alto voice suddenly stated, and the scarlet eyes snapped open, an instant reaction upon seeing the redhead's face in his mind's eye . . .

Growling, he stuffed the blade into a small hole in the tree (making sure it wouldn't fall out), folding his arms behind his head and closing his eyes again, firmly. If he wasn't going to school, he might as well just take a nap . . .

Hi-chan . . . his left eye threatened to twitch, but still remained closed and attempting sleep, at the voice echoing lightly in his mind . . .

You shouldn't sleep during the day, Hi-chan . . . the gentle, caring tone continued, insisting from a memory long past . . . his eye now twitched SLIGHTLY, this time.

PLEASE go to school, Hi-chan . . . it's only a few hours . . . he twitched AGAIN, harder, a small frown tugging at the corners of his mouth.

You're very smart, you know . . . just . . . try . . .

Hi-chan . . .

By now the muscle near his left eye was convulsing furiously, and his eyes snapped open, a low growl coming from his throat . . .

Stupid woman . . .

Then he mentally slapped himself for thinking badly of HER . . . the one who had so kindly taken him in a little over eight years ago . . . with a heavy sigh, he dropped out of the tree, shoving his hands into his pockets . . .

He headed to the other side of town, the 'rough' side, where his high school lay . . .

(xxxxxxx)

Lunch had just started by the time he got there . . .

Hiei could easily imagine the black-uniformed girls, their sailor uniforms lined with whites and greys, laughing cheerily as they chatted with any friends that happened to share a class with them. The guys went off into their own groups, usually, except for those who had girls to show off to the entire school . . .

He made his way up the side of the school (since the gate and door were both locked), jumping easily onto the wall, then down, then sauntering over to climb on top of the dumpsters in the back, hoisting himself through what he knew (from a few years' experience) was the boy's bathroom window on the second floor; left open because the teachers thought that no one (in their right mind, anyway) would risk breaking their neck only to sneak into school . . . (he had done this all in a matter of mere minutes) . . . as the dark teen scoffed at their stupidity, a dull look spread across his face as he walked through the main building, finally finding his class. He listened outside for a while, then slid the door open and walked in silently.

No one noticed him; they were all too busy talking with their friends. Hiei strode to his desk in the back of the room as quietly as he had come in, sat down, and opened it to find his schoolbag exactly where he had left it yesterday . . . smirking, he pulled out the half-finished homework, starting in on it again, as he had no lunch with which to waste time on . . .

Class began a few minutes later, and he looked up, pencil stilling on the paper at the last problem. The teacher began to speak.

"Now, class, before we begin . . . I shall take roll to make sure no one decided to leave the classroom during the lunch break." A unanimous sigh echoed in the room, but the teacher ignored it.

"Alright, then . . . Aika-san?"

"Here, sir." a timid girl in the front row said, quietly raising her hand. He nodded, checking her off the list.

"Atarashi-san?"

"Here."

"Amago-san?"

"Present."

"Fukirashi-san?"

"Here."

"Heburo-san?"

"Here, sensei."

"Imouta-san?"

. . . silence . . . . . .

And then the whispers came . . .

"Hey . . . he skipped out today, didn't he?" a bleached blonde in the second row whispered to her friend.

"Hai, that's right . . . I didn't see him first period . . ." the black-haired girl agreed . . .

"Do you think he's out smoking or something?" another whisper broke the once-silent room . . .

"Probably . . . either that or mugging some old lady on the street . . ." a guy, one of those athletic, heavily-built types, scoffed at the suggestion made by his friend, adding his own answer . . .

"Wouldn't put it past the runt . . ."

The class broke into a small chatter of giggles and speculation at this last comment, built upon the disappearance of the 'short' teen . . . their sensei cleared his throat, quieting them, and spoke again.

"Will, since Imouta-san is obviously not present . . . Jemaru-san, are—"

"I'm here." a low, firm voice from the back commented and the teacher, startled, looked to the desk in the back row that, until now, he had thought was empty . . .

The spiky-haired teen was slouched back in his chair, arms folded across his chest, glaring at anyone who had the least presence of mind to whirl around in their seat at his unexpected voice . . . hurriedly, those who had turned around faced front again, and class continued, a slightly fearful air in the room, now . . . caused by the red-eyed teen's abrupt presence.

(xxxxxxx)

Friday afternoon

(xxxxxxxxxxxxx)

School let out a few hours later, and Hiei hurried over to the other side of the city, climbing up the fire escape as always, and jumping from roof to roof, landing with practiced ease on the building next to Meiou High.

His eyes scanned the courtyard . . . and then he remembered . . . she had nearly spotted him yesterday. Hiei muttered a curse, turning around and climbing down the fire escape, walking around the back of the large building, then looking for a tree next to the other side of the wall . . . he had to walk for quite a ways to find one . . . but find it he did, and jumped up, only to discover that this tree's leaves were too thick and healthy, not allowing him a clear view of the school.

Thank kami no one had filtered out yet . . .

He was puzzling over it when he heard the bell chime, announcing the end of classes. Panicking inwardly, but letting no such emotion pass onto his face, he jumped down from his hiding spot near the wall, leaping up into the branches of some tree. After situating himself, Hiei looked at the doors, which seemed to fly open as soon as he glanced at them, letting the deluge of students rush onto the grounds . . . spotting Yukina, her green hair and that of her friend's blue tresses hard to miss in the crimson-clad crowd, he smiled with his eyes, readying himself to jump down and skit across the yard—

The red orbs suddenly widened with the realization of the utter stupidity of this plan.

SHIMATTA!!! he swore silently, kicking the tree trunk and dropping into a sitting position, arms and legs crossed and garnet-colored eyes glowering dangerously.

He was an idiot . . . in his panic to make sure he saw his sister, he had jumped to the tree DIRECTLY IN THE CENTER of the courtyard, which was currently full of teens. Growling to himself, he looked down through the branches, spotting a group of three or so girls chatting excitedly, and his eyes flashed when they sat down, apparently in for a long stay.

He had done this to himself . . . again he cursed the stupidity of it all . . . not wanting to be seen by all these 'upper-class' kids—not that he cared what they thought—he would have to stay where he was until they all (or at least most of them) left. Reluctantly, his eyes trailed over to his sister's retreating back, as she headed out the front gates of the school, her fuschia-eyed friend at her side.

Settling back into the tree, he kept his gaze wandering over the yard, narrowing as more teens seemed to appear, but, he admitted to himself, a lot of them WERE leaving almost as soon as they came out, heading straight for the now wide-open school gates . . .

He glanced down after a while, immensely annoyed to find that the group of three girls had grown to seven . . . what the h—l were they doing?!? He knew his own limits; he couldn't get down from the tree (WITHOUT killing himself) if he didn't have access to the ground below it.

Hiei sighed heavily in his mind as he leaned back against the sturdy bark . . .

Baka . . .

(xxxxxxx)

Shuichi sighed heavily as he packed his bag full once again . . . glancing at the clock, he prayed that by now the horde of girls that always awaited him after school would have left. Letting out a sigh, and realizing there wasn't much chance for a break in the daily routine, he glumly made his way down the hall, to the front doors of the school.

(xxxxxxx)

Some time later, Hiei cracked open an orb to take in the schoolyard again. He had hope when he saw that no one was around, but, upon hearing voices below him, the teen looked down . . . and his eye twitched.

Surrounding the entire tree, there was an INUMERABLE group of girls . . . all clad in red. They had crowded underneath it, most trying to find a shady spot to sit or stand . . .

And. They. Were. ALL. AROUND. IT!

Hissing . . . he'd had enough of this. Hiei readied himself, planning to just jump down and sprint away before anyone could stop him . . . scanning the ground, and managing to find an opening, he leapt . . . but Fate truly WAS against him that day, for, just as he was about to hit solid ground, the doors of the school opened and the mob of femininity surged forward, covering the one landing place he had managed to find and sweeping him along before he had time to react.

Then, just as suddenly as it had started . . . it stopped.

Straining to recover his dignity, he stood quickly, bumping into a brunette who was balancing on her toes in a vain attempt to see whatever it was at the front. She thumped back onto her heels, then looked to him, blinking as he proceeded to growl at her and abruptly turn away.

"Oh! Wait, Kodomo-chan!!" His eye twitched violently for the third time that day . . . did she just call him . . . a kid?!? What WAS it with people these days?!? Couldn't they even tell a teen from a child?!? He turned, his glare intensified, but the girl only smiled, obviously thinking he was 'misunderstood' and lost. "Ne, Kodo-chan, where is your 'kasaan?" she cooed gently, taking a step toward him. The girls directly around started to take their attention from the front to glance at the 'poor lost child.' He gritted his teeth, and her face grew worried. "Are you all right, Kodo-chan? Here, let me see—" She reached out a hand to touch his forehead, but, just before she could, a mild, crisp voice filtered out over the babble of the crowd.

"What's the matter?"

Hiei's eyes darkened . . . he had heard that voice before . . . as the figure made his way through the sea of girls that parted so the tall male teen could walk . . . the crimson orbs narrowed when they at last fell upon him, and the green eyes themselves showed a surprised flicker of recognition, and then flashed a warning to the shorter teen . . . before turning his attention to the girl who had been about to touch Hiei's forehead, attempting to check for a fever.

"Natakana-san?" he questioned, smiling politely, and the brunette's eyes grew starry as she completely put Hiei out of her mind, clasping her hands in front of her, opening her mouth to speak, a broad smile on her own face.

"Hai, Minamino-kun?" the girl managed to squeal out. The redhead smiled again, then walked forward and soon was standing next to the spiky-haired teen—who now cocked an eyebrow at him in perplexed and suspicious scrutiny.

"Thank you for finding my friend. I was supposed to walk him home today." The entire group's faces fell.

"Oh, but Minamino-kuuun! We'll walk him home WITH you!" they eagerly cried out, suddenly desperate at the news that he might be leaving . . . WITHOUT them . . . but he merely smiled, shaking his head.

"Sumanai, I can't do that. He's afraid of big crowds." At this most of the more thoughtful girls backed off from their ring around the two teens, but some still continued to plead, almost whining.

"But Minamino-KUUN . . ." . . . now was the time to use his 'secret weapon' . . . the redhead smiled, the jade eyes sparkling at the gentle curvature of his mouth. Most of the girls left around him swooned, only to be caught by their friends. Those supporting their smitten companions looked up as he walked out of the front gate, still wearing that enchanting smile and waving, obviously bidding them farewell . . .

. . . and dragging the silent, black-clad boy along with him.

(xxxxxxx)

They had been walking for a few short minutes, down the right side of the street, when Hiei, the teen closer to the buildings than the road, discreetly glanced up, noting the way the green eyes were somewhat distant . . . he 'hn'ed, wrenching both his wrist and gaze from the other's grasp in one quick, almost fluid, movement. The action must have woken the redhead from wherever his mind had gone, for he looked down, then smiled, as was his obvious habit.

"Sumanai. I forgot . . . thank you. You've no idea how grateful I am." he began, his tone serious, though still managing to sound somewhat upbeat . . . and—almost cheerful. The dark teen remained silent, gaze locked straight on the sidewalk ahead as they continued down it. Jade eyes sparkled at the lack of response, but the redhead nevertheless continued after the brief pause. "I do believe I've seen you before, but I didn't catch your name . . ."

"Ch." Hiei found himself responding, but refused to give any useful information. The emerald-like eyes flashed playfully, and the redhead turned his face to the front again, cocking his head slightly to one side, eyes innocently surveying the sky—

"Oh, so you CAN talk?" he commented, his pleasant tone laced with a slight hint of sarcasm. Keeping his position, but now looking down out of the corner of one emerald eye, he saw the glare he had just received from the other, and chuckled. Now the redhead let the act fall, shifting the brown schoolbag resting on his shoulder, and continuing to walk along in silence, a small, amused smile lingering lightly on his face . . .

Just as they came to the edge of the block, the rich mansion-houses just barely within view, the dark teen stopped. The taller boy, having originally been a step ahead, noticed this after walking for a ways. He glanced over his shoulder, blinking, and cocked his head quizzically at the spiky-haired guy that had his head turned stubbornly to one side, not meeting the other's green eyes, but keeping the small, pale chin facing up from the ground in a blatant gesture of cool and aloof defiance.

The redhead's eyes widened with sudden insight, and now he spoke softly . . . to gently ease the acquired tension.

"Well . . . I had best be going, now." The dark gaze shot back to him, and the green-eyed teen blinked at the odd looks mixed into those burning red eyes . . . but they shadowed an instant later, hiding any former emotions. The short teen turned, granting the redhead a wonderful view of the plain back of his school uniform.

And, without a word, started walking away.

(xxxxxxx)

yay! =n.n=

ok, ok, I know -.-;;;;;

it wasn't the most action-packed, tear-jerking or fluffy-wonderful chapter . . . but still cute and slightly funny, ne? n.n;; ( . . . well . . . maybe not really ;.; . . . sigh u.u;; . . .)

. . . but hey, most every fic has a few 'filler' moments, ne? =n.n=

it jus happened to turn out that this chap. was one of them.

::peace sign::

:3

. . . ah, and jus as a warning, I think the next two (chappies) will be half flashbacks and half present storyline . . .

::shrugs::

hopefully I'll get to explain a bit of how I worked Hiei and Yuki's past to fit this fic =n.n=

(and maybe get back to some 'action'? ;3 )

lol!

- Kita-chan n.n;;

PS

Domou arigato . . .

_Hiei's Gothic Angel (got your other reviews, so never-mind my last review response [ X.x;;; oro!! ] gomen about that, eheh n.n;; . . . and HUGGLES!!!! =n...................n= thank you SOO much!! yay!! I feel all happy and special and loved now!! n...........n Joy!! [ lol n.n;; ] maybe I'll go start the next chapter, eheh . . . n.n;; again, domou, Angel-chan!!! =n.n= )_

_What2callmyself (yea . . . I've been having problems with reviewing, too [ -.-;;; d—n computer ;.; sigh . . . u.u;; ] ANYWAY, thankies soo much!! =n.n= it means a lot, chica! lol n.n;;; )_

_Volpe di Spirito (muahahahahahahaha!!!! X3 evil, evil, EVIL lil Hiei . . . ne? n.n;; lol!! I luv it! n.n;; eheh . . . ok, I'm a sadist [ X.x;; grnf!!! . . . -.-# sigh . . . ] . . . ANYWAY, thankies for reviewing and I THINK Yusuke got [ bought, or stole? Oo; ] a different uniform, since it's green and in a slightly more unique style than the other guys' . . . and as for Kuwabara's . . . well, **my** little insignificant opinion is that they [ the animators ] make it a lighter shade of blue so that you can tell him apart from the OTHER guys at Sarayashiki Junior High . . . lol n.n;; but that's just my warped and demented mind trying to come up with a reasonable excuse [ ;.; ] lol!!! thanks again, Volpe-chan! =n.n=)_

_shadow priestess (yes, isn't it wonderful? n.n;; lol, and to think I'm taking a Japanese course this year . . . where they'll start to TEACH us hiragana next week, eheh! n.n;; ::shrugs:: I only know the first thirty-eight or so as of yet [ ;.; sigh . . . u.u;; ] . . . Sprechen Sie Deutsch? Ja oder nein? Es wird sehr toll wenn du machst das. =n.n= lol!! n.n;;;;; sorry, a lil German right there -.-;; [ n.n;;; ] . . . ah, yes and about Yuusuke almost beating Hi-kun . . . WELL, when those two first fought in the series—[ Refresher: Three stolen artifacts of darkness, where we meet Hiei and Kurama for the first time. ]—Yuusuke DID beat him, ne? . . . n.n;; LOL!!! n.n;;;;; sorry, but that's the truth, shadow-chan! ::peace sign:: =n.n= . . . AND I WILL NOT ALLOW SCHOOL TO KILL ME!! ::stands up, thumping her right hand determinedly on her chest to emphasize her point:: I WILL CONTINUE WRITING . . . BECAUSE THAT'S JUST THE KIND OF PERSON I AM!! =n................n= LOL, and now I leave you even more confused than last time!! =n.n= ::bows:: [ and again, arigato for reviewing! =n.n= ] )_

_Firekitti (yay! hooray for today! because there's a new chappie to stay! why do you try to keep it at bay? cheer your heart out until May! for that's my birth-day! hurrah, hooray! n.n;;;; LOL!!! liked your cheering . . . sweet . . . ::two thumbs up:: =n.n= 'awesome' yourself, girl! =n........n= thanks for reviewing! hip hip hooray! please do the same today!! =n.n= lol, ok, moving onward in life [ -.-;;; ] . . . THANKIES sooo much!! =n...n= domou arigato, Firekitti-chan! =n.n= )_

_RVG (yay! thanks, and I'm glad you like it . . . [ n.n;;; ] )_

_Ifurita the Black (::huggles!!:: arigato gozaimushta!! =n.........n= [ ::beams:: ] . . . ::nods:: I'm glad you agree with me about Hi-kun =n.n= I tried soo hard to give him an awful, tormented past so he'd still sorta have a bit of his [ original dark and tormented n.n;; ] character and attitude that appears in the anime [ and we all love so much!! n.n;;; lol!! ] . . . thanks! my junior year's different, and a bit harder and busier, but . . . ::shrugs:: . . . at least I'm an 'upperclass[wo]man' now, ne? n.n;;; lol . . . and again, thanks! =n.n= [ . . . . . . wait . . . a . . . . sec Oo;; . . . YOU THOUGHT IT WAS KAWAII?!?!? =.=;;;; if you meant the last scene, that is . . . then I guess I'm not the only sadist out there, lol n.n;; eheh . . . ERK!! =.=# ] )_

_Queen of the Paperclips (thank you sooooo much!! ::extra huggles!!:: =n.n= domou!! lol, I'm glad someone caught that! =n....n= every now and then I put in a 'literal' comment . . . ::shrugs:: =n.n= yay for you! you found it, lol! ::hands her a Kurama and Hiei kawaii shonen ai plushie =n........n= :: I'm glad you liked the fight, too! =n.n= I tried to keep it more descriptive, because . . . well . . . because I did. ::is now confused:: x.x;; oro . . . [ about halfway through that sentence my train of thought got COMPLETELY derailed X.x;;;; errrrrk . . . ] . . . and I'm happy you found the time to read my lil fic, too! =n.n= thanks sooo much, Paperclip-chan! [ . . . n.n;;; MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! . . . eheh . . . lol. n.n;;;;;;;; there I go with my TMOI [ Temporary Moments Of Insanity ] again . . . u.u;; . . . sigh . . . I can't decide whether it's a curse or a gift!! [ X.x;;; lol!! n.n;;; ] . . . though—most likely—a gift . . . since it can't do much [ physical? Oo;; ] harm, ne? lol!—x.x;; erk!! X.X; . . .)_

_Fugen (kon nichi wa, Fugen-chan! =n.n= glad you made it to chappie number five!! sugoi!! lol, did you realize that both of our 'new and upcoming' fics are at the same chapter [ as of now, anyway X.x;;; ] . . . ? lol!! n.n;; odd, ne? [ x.x;;;;;;;;; ] and yes, Hi-kun IS an adorable little cutthroat, isn't he? =n.n= lol!! [ which you may get to see . . . ::winks:: =n..........n= ] and thanks again for reviewing, Fugen-chan! update your own fic[s?] soon, if you get the chance, kudasai! =n.n= )_

_Sate (::bows:: I was deeply honored by your review. ::raises head:: =n....n= ::bows again:: thank you so much. domou. danke schoen [ German ]. I am glad someone likes the 'intensity' with which I have tried to portray the characters we all know so well . . . and as for other fics, I like how they do Hiei as an 'innocent kid' sometimes . . . it's like how he would be WITHOUT his dark past, ne? like giving him a second chance at childhood . . . . . . and [ one of my fav's! ] Gogo-chan's 'Of Homework, Detention and Life' =n........n= a GREAT School AU fic, and I luv it! =n.n= lol . . . but yes, I'm also trying to get the group to 'get together' like they do in the series. I mean, Hiei and Yuusuke didn't meet until he stole the sword, ne? and thus—OOPS!!! I can't give that away, lol!! n.n;; ::zips mouth shut, but continues to type:: and I just . . . can't imagine . . . HIEI . . . being COMPLETELY and UTTERLY IN-CHARACTER as a 'normal, average' teen [ like Kura can be . . . and perhaps that's why I'm writing this . . . ? X.x; ] . . . is it somehow missing the intensity, dark nature and fun-ness of his character if you take away the tormented past that shaped who he became? . . . . . . . . eheh n.n;; . . . there I go getting all philosophical [ or something like that Oo;; ] on you, lol n.n;;; . . . and again, arigato gozaimushta, Sate-chan. =n.n= [ lol . . . n.n;;; ] )_

::blinks::

whoa . . .

I do believe that's the most reviews I ever got for a single chapter in this fic ( X.x;; )

sweet . . . n.n;; lol!

and please find it in your hearts to pardon my unnaturally long review response babbling today, minna-san . . . ( n.n;;;;;;;;;;;;;; )

::shrugs::

. . . but the stress outlet's gotta be somewhere, ne?

n.n;; lol . . .

WELL, thankies to all of you again for reviewing, I very truly appreciate it ( =n.......n= ) and ja ne, minna-san!!

see you in the next chappie!

=n.n=

Peace out! :3


	6. Twins Part I

**AU – Tatakoe koukou no shusseki suru: Attending Tatakoe High**

_(alternate universe, shonen ai) Kurama and Hiei are normal humans attending regular, everyday human school. NOT YOUR USUAL SCHOOL 'AU' FIC – because THIS time they DON'T go to the same high school . . . pairings; KurHiei, YusKei, KuwYuk, KoeBot._

Shonen ai (perhaps some yaoi) eventually. n.n;;

BE WARNED if you don't like it, ok, minna-san? n.n

Pairings: Kurama x Hiei, Yuusuke x Keiko, Kuwabara x Yukina, Koenma x Botan

Disclaimer: Kita doesn't own yuyu. So don't you/you sue.

Semi-important notes . . .

1- Yuusuke, Keiko and Kuwabara's school is still Sarayashiki Junior High (Yuusuke, Kuwabara and Keiko are all fourteen).

2- Hiei's school is Tatakoe High (the next step for students in Sarayashiki Junior High).

3- Kurama, Yukina and Botan's school is Meiou High. (Hiei, Kurama, Yukina and Botan are all sixteen).

4- Hiei lives across the city from where everyone else lives (a completely different part of town).

alright, you all hate me T.T

gomen for not updating, minna-san, but I had a LOT of junk going on this weekend . . .

::shrugs:: . . .

sumanai . . .

oh oh oh!!

And my computer hasn't been letting me do reviews ;.;

soo, to danceDANCEdance (everyone else can skip ahead to the fic if they want n.n) . . .

I read your KxH fic, Delicate Nameless!!

whoa!

freaky!

. . . sweet!

and sooo cool, chica!!! n.n lol

I wish I could have left you a review ;.; wah!!! T.T

I loved the whole Kurama-Hiei confusion complex!!!

nâ€â€â€â€â€â€.n

LOL, but seriously, I lose myself for a couple hours whenever you put a story up, eheh!!

n.n;;; eheh . . . it's a sickness . . . I can't stop reading (anything, for that matter ;.;''''''

) sigh u.u;; . . .

now onto the fic n.n;;

thankies are at the end!! n.n;; lol . . . yes, I am insane ::innocent chibi smile:: ;3

(xxxxxxx)

**Friday afternoon**

(xxxxxxxxxxxxx)

_. . . beforehand . . ._

(xxxxxxx)

"Well . . .I had best be going, now." The dark gaze shot back to him, and the green-eyed teen blinked at the odd looks mixed into those burning red eyes . . . but they shadowed an instant later, hiding any former emotions. The short teen turned, granting the redhead a wonderful view of the plain back of his school uniform.

And, without a word, started walking away.

(xxxxxxx)

(xxxxxxx)

Chapter Six

_Twins: Part I_

(xxxxxxx)

The redhead's gaze lingered for a while on the black-clad figure steadily walking away . . . his still form still turned so he was looking back at the teen from a sideways position . . . he sighed slightly, veering back around to head his own way home . . . that guy . . . he mused silently, walking the familiar path to his house, threading easily through the sidewalks in the 'rich' district . . .

. . . he's . . . . . . different . . . .

**(xxxxxxx)**

Silently, Hiei walked, heading vaguely toward his home, walking to stand at the corner he had just passed a few moments ago . . . accompanied by . . . that redhead . . .

Scowling darkly, he took his glare out on the 'Do Not Walk' sign lit across from him, the red luminance scarcely detectable in the now-waning sunlight of the day.

Then it finally changed, and he walked, a solitary figure on the asphalt, reaching the other side just as a car zipped past behind him. Looking dully over his shoulder at the swiftly retreating vehicle racing down the road, he scoffed in dismissal, turning to face front once again. What did he care about some reckless driver?

As he had nothing better to do, he decided to head home. Realizing apathetically that Ryujin would most likely be there, stone drunk already, he decided to steal some food on the way. He snorted, eyes skimming the scenes around him for a possible meal ticket . . . not that he'd share it with the boozer, anyway . . . if his foster father had enough money to spend on beer, what did HE care if he starved? The 'child' wasn't supposed to be the provider, after all . . .

Finding a store, he walked in casually, drawing many looks with his unusual hairstyle. He glared each of them down, and was soon left alone. Walking through the aisles, he soon found what he was looking for. His stomach rumbled. He couldn't remember eating anything since . . . well . . . since that day-old bread that had been lying on the counter yesterday morning. He winced as the full effect of his hunger came upon him, and felt his knees start to shake. He tried to growl away the feeling, but it only caused the emptiness he felt in his stomach to grow . . .

Glancing around briefly, he watched as a mother turned a cart into the aisle, her seated child pointing out various things to buy, while she listened distractedly, more focused on only finding the items she had COME here for . . . . he felt the smooth, cool cardboard of the box in his hand for a moment, before it disappeared into the school uniform, dropped beneath his undershirt that was tucked in securely; nothing would fall out. His gaze still on the pair, he grabbed an instant soup from the shelf as well, and, his deed accomplished, didn't spare a glance back at the shelf, but shoved his hands back into his pockets, brushing past the mother and son without so much as a backward glance. He solemnly remembered Her, what She would have thought of this act, but shook his head, dispelling any moralistic ideals and continuing to head out of the store.

Just as he reached the door, though, a tall, muscular guard stopped him. He looked up, annoyed at the obstruction, crimson eyes glaring coldly at the man to let him pass. The security guard laughed, then put a rough hand on the boy's shoulder, effectively stopping any forward motion.

"I don't think so, kid. There've been too many shoplifters around here already." His beady eyes narrowed as he grinned, and the tarnished badge glittered ironically on his chest, as he continued in a lower tone. "Now why don't you make it easy on yourself and hand over that instant ramen you just stole?"

Hiei gritted his teeth, and a growl escaped him. So he thought he had seen him, eh? Well, playing the innocent was always a good distraction . . .

"Hn." the dark-haired teen commented, a tinge of fury found in his tone at the 'false' accusation, wavering just under the surface, and his eyes flickered over his surroundings before coming back to glare icily at the guard in front of him. The officer shook his head.

"You looked smart, kid. It'll do you no good to lie. Just admit it and hand 'em over, and I'll let you get home, okay?" the big man continued, obviously trying to play the part of the 'kind, understanding, good-guy' law figure. Hiei scoffed, shifting his red gaze somewhere to his right again. This fool of a man wasn't worth looking at. "HEY, kid . . ." the man said again, in a lower tone. "You heard me, right? You're not getting out of here until you hand over what you stole."

It happened in an instant. Hiei faked to the right, then leapt to the other side, throwing the guard off balance as he switched directions in the blink of an eye, darting around the big man. Then he was out of the store and running, breathing hard, his feet slapping the pavement as he heard the security guard start to chase after him. Thankfully, though, by this time of day, the streets were crowded and the slight-framed teen easily dodged between the passers-by, leaving them only with the sense that someone had just passed, but not getting a good look at his physical features . . . other than the fact he was wearing black.

Easily leaving the guard behind, Hiei stopped running. Looking around, he found himself in a part of Tokyo he had never seen before . . .

Well kept, yet modest lawns spread over the street, a middle-class house could be found on nearly every lot. He walked down the middle of the road, taking in the lush, green surroundings with a hint of awe. He'd never been here before . . .

Trees decorated much of the avenue, either providing shade to the two-story buildings or—wait—TWO? Hiei stopped in front of one of the double-floored houses, this one decorated a light creamy color . . . with a firm, clay-colored roof and many windows. He held his breath, eyes widening when the scent of something inescapably . . . DELICIOUS . . . wafted up to him. His stomach protesting loudly, he walked toward the home in a seeming daze . . . then stopped himself, deciding instead to perch in the tree at the side of the house. He quickly climbed up the trunk, years of experience as a child recognizing this as one of the few constants in his life; wherever he lived, there was always a way to get to the park, or . . . SOMEWHERE . . . and find a tree (to climb). He easily hid himself in the branches, then crawled out over one thick one, concealed by the fading leaves, leaning down over the window so he could hear—

A soft, feminine voice was humming quietly, and he closed his eyes, drinking in the sound, here, where no one could see him . . . it was gentle and caring, weighed with years of love and duty, and he relished the tone . . . something almost like to how Miuko had sung when he would peek in on her, cooking some meal or treat . . . . . . only this . . . was far greater . . . and seemed more . . . permanent . . .

As though the lady in the kitchen below had acquired the caring tone over more years with her own than the Imouta woman had ever had the chance to do with him . . .

Hiei sighed inaudibly, hoisting himself up from the comfortable position he had settled in, stretching out and crawling dizzily back to the main trunk. His abdomen gurgled unpleasantly, and he winced, placing a hand on it and fully aware of the empty feeling as the enticing aroma found its way up to him . . . sighing, he now remembered the stolen, almost dirt-cheap instant ramen hidden under the ebony uniform—

Jumping down, he walked quickly out of the yard, keeping to the bushes and trees on the other side of the street . . . he would surely be noticed in the this neighborhood . . . he didn't exactly LOOK like the type to live here . . .

. . . and so people would assume . . .

**(xxxxxxx)**

Yukina bid a polite farewell to her friend, and Botan waved as she continued down the street to her own home. Walking in the door, she gently took off her shoes, placing them neatly next to the pair of her mother's and set her bag down. Upon wandering upstairs to her room, the girl heard light music coming from the bedroom at the end of the hall . . . her parents' bedroom.

Padding softly to the door, she knocked quietly, waiting for the voice within to acknowledge her. Hearing a call, she entered, slowly sliding the door open to see the young-looking, forty-year-old woman look up from her paperwork, dark eyes smiling as strands of jet-colored hair framed her face in whisps, having long-ago escaped the messy bun. She motioned for her daughter to come and sit on the bed.

"Yuki-chan! How was school today?" she asked brightly, a pen cap held in her teeth at one corner of her mouth . . . returning her attention to the items strewn out on her 'workspace' when the green-haired girl sat down quietly on the edge of the bed. Yukina watched her mother write quickly on the papers, even as the teen girl could tell she kept an attentive ear out for any sound her daughter might make . . . Niisa Akari was indeed a talented woman. Yuki smiled inwardly . . . truly, the girl was proud to have such a mother . . .

"It was fine, okasaan . . ." she began in her quiet voice, and the woman looked up, a happy smile finding its way onto her face. She reached a hand up and tucked one of Yuki's pale, sea-green forelocks behind the girl's left ear affectionately.

"I'm glad to hear it, Yuki-chan." Her eyes conveyed the volumes of truth in her words. "Chichi is taking the afternoon off, so he should be home any moment." Her eyes lingered for a moment on her only daughter's face, then were inevitably swept back to the papers. She sighed, then took the pen cap out of her mouth and stuck it back to its proper place. Smiling, her eyes shone as she spoke.

"What do you say we go down there and wait for him? I could use a break right now." Yuki nodded, getting to her feet and her mother climbed off the bed, then stretching with a strained sigh.

As they walked down the hall, her motherly instincts kicked in . . .

"Do you have any homework, Yukina?" The girl nodded, saddening a bit as she recalled her trigonometry homework . . . which was very hard for her.

"Hai . . ." she answered quietly, and her okasaan noticed the difference, putting an arm about the girl's thin shoulders and squeezing a bit.

"We know you try, Yuki." the woman began softly and they started to descend the steps. "Some things are just harder for others, you know? I'll help you with it tonight . . ." Yuki nodded, but brightened as they reached the bottom, looking happily up at the woman whose dark blue eyes were level with her own red ones.

"Oh, okasaan! I forgot . . ." the lady cocked an eye in playful scolding as she went to retrieve her daughter's school bag.

"What's that, Yuki?" the red-eyed girl smiled as they sat down in the living room, and the teen began to root through her bag, looking for the books she needed.

"I saw Minamino-san this morning—"

"Ah! So THAT was the boy I saw you walking with?" Yukina blushed, which caused her mom to smile, looking down at the math workbook now splayed out in front of them. "He's very handsome."

"Hai . . . but . . . that's not what I meant, mother."

"Oh? Then please tell me."

"I . . . asked him to help tutor me." Yukina admitted shyly. Her mother nodded in appreciation at the responsibility of someone who was still at such a young age . . .

Akari could tell that the reason her daughter was blushing was not because she liked the boy . . . no, that wasn't QUITE it . . . but rather . . . having actually worked up the courage to ASK someone . . . Yukina was a very timid girl, with a few good friends, her closest and best being the bubbly, cheery and absent-minded Awakai Botan girl . . .

A soft smile found its way onto her face as she watched Yukina start in on her homework, looking to do the problems she knew, first . . .

She and Kuroi had been so lucky . . . on that day they had cursed a little less than sixteen years ago . . .

(::flashback::)

"I'm sorry, Niisa-sama . . . there was nothing we could do . . . . " Her eyes full of unshed tears, Akari focused on the limp bundle lying on the counter . . . her baby girl . . . she was dead . . . the woman cried and cried, her husband, Kuroi, holding her, whispering comforts as she continued to gaze, unseeing, at the dead form before her . . .

The next day, she had still been too weak from the ordeal to move, so she stayed on the hospital bed, one hand idly laying on her stomach, her beautiful dark eyes distant and misty, staring at nothing . . .

Then, she heard wailing coming from the room where . . . she WOULD have . . . given birth to her first child . . . the room she that was in, for some reason, being oddly close to the delivery room . . .

A few minutes later, a girl, one who couldn't have been out of her teens, was wheeled into the room, the doors bursting open as a nurse pushed her through, carefully transporting her to the bed with the help of the one doctor present. Two other attendants followed, one carrying a bundle in each arm, the other pulling a huge mobile crib. Akari's heart leapt at the infantile shrieks, ones she would have hoped to hear from—she turned her attention to the girl, who somehow possessed a light, pastel-green shade of hair . . . she was panting, her eyes shut tight, and whispering between breaths . . .

" . . . no . . . don't give them to me . . . I can't . . . hold them . . ."

The doctor looked at her sadly for a moment, then shook his head and spoke to the nurses.

"Set them down in here; we'll work on adoption tomorrow. Let them spend this time with their mother." Then, he seemed just now to notice Akari's presence, and bowed low. "Sumimasen for the intrusion, Niisa-sama. It was an emergency." Then, to the nurses again . . . "Take shifts checking in." He turned to bow to the two bedridden women before leaving. "If you will, please excuse me." Two of the nurses exited as well, and the one carrying the two bundles set them each inside the crib, then checked the mother's medial equipment . . . and left.

**(xxxxxxx)**

ark!! X.x;;;

let it never be said that the life of a junior in high school was simple . . . X..x

ERG!!! X.x;;;;

I had two meetings today, one for this 'financial aid' program that was as useful as a mosaic made of bits of homework paper X.x;;

But the 'People to People' thing was cool n.n

I'm keeping it under wraps in case I don't get to go . . .

::shrugs::

thanks, and please review, minna-san!

I'll try to (hopefully? X.x;;;;;;;;;;) update by next week!

lol n.n;;

- Kita-chan n.n;;;;

PS

_Doumo . . ._

_shadow priestess (n.n;; lol, yea I know what you mean u.u;; I'm STILL self-taught, as of now . . . but that's why I signed up for the class, ne? n.n;;;; eheh . . . Du hast ein Lehrer? Ich habe eine Lehrerin. Mein Grammar is gut, aber nicht wenn da ist 'the dative case'. X.x;; oro!! lol, aber mag ich Deutsche sprechen das. n.n Sehr ausgezeichnet, ne? . . . lol!! I'm glad you thought it was a cute chappie :3 I thought a lil serious? Oo;; comic relief would help, 'cause this fic has sorta . . . been kinda . . . intense. Oo;;;;;; n.n;;; lol!! ah, and danke schoen for reviewing, shadow-chan!! n..n arigato! )_

_Volpe di Spirito ( ::blinks:: that's . . . a . . . good point! X.x;;;; oro-ro!! who COULD forget his face . . . ::is now disturbed:: . . . x.x;;; . . . eh . . . -.-;; pardon me, I'm braindead because of school ;.; . . . sigh u.u;;; . . . and arigato for the review!! n.n ::peace sign:: )_

_What2callmyself (YES!! they DO lie!! ::glares down the lying staff __of f a n f i c t i o n . n e t that possesses__ the__ Youko tendency_:: I haven't been able to review for anyone for DAYS!! T.T nooo!!! they'll all think I'm lazy now . . . u.u;; . . . well . . . I kinda . . . AM . . . but that's not the point, ne? n.n;; I always try to review . . . anyway, I can't TELL you how many wonderful stories I've gone to respond to and it won't let me!! ;.; wahh!!! T.T lol, but thanks for reviewing, What2-chan! eheh . . . n.n;;; )

_Hiei's Gothic Angel ( ::is blown away:: Oo;; errr . . . thanks. I'm glad you feel loved, lol. n.n;; jus don't get TOO hyper, ne? n.n;;; Oo;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; lol!! n.n;;;;;; seriously, though . . . ah, yes, and I hope you got my e-mail to most definitely NOT take off 'the dark side to the story' . . . well . . . OH!! and you're not stupid!! as a writer, you, by DEFINITION, absolutely CANNOT be a baka!! n.n it's TRUE!! we sakusha (authors) have to think what to write and how it will affect everyone involved in the story, ne? nâ€.n see? you're actually very smart and never realized it! :3 lol, and thanks for reviewing, Angel-chan! n.n )_

_danceDANCEdance ( n.n;; eheh . . . hello again X.x; ok, this is slightly more 'normal' than that biiiig hyper review at the beginning, lol. n.n;; so ANYWAY, thanks for reviewing, doumo, and I'm glad you like the myths!! n..n I tried sooo hard to come up with a reasonable . . . err . . . reason ? Oo;;; for Hiei's surname to be Jaganshi and for Youko to have an influence somehow . . . n..n arigato gozaimushta, Dance-chan! n.n )_

_Queen of the Paperclips ( n.n ::huggles!:: thanks for your confidence, chica! :3 but forty GREAT reviews is worth 100 short ones any day! n.n doumo, Paperclip-chan ;3 lol)_

_Sate (awwwww!!!! n.n thankies soo much!! ::dumps a load of Kurama and Hiei plushies on her:: :3 arigato gozaimushta!! n.n you have absolutely NO idea how much your little comment meant to me . . . because Gogo-chan is the one who inspired me to write a School AU fic!! n.n cool, ne? lol, thanks again, Sate-chan! :3 )_

_Kitsune Kit ( YAY! THANKS!! n.n;;; lol . . . )_

_Chelsea Deanne ( sweet . . . n.n glad you find it 'interesting' . . . n.n lol! doumo for reviewing, Deanne-san! :3 )_

_Carthage (wow!! n.n danke schoen!! German! lol n.n and ah, yes, I didn't think of the switchblade as that until you pointed it out . . . but you're right . . . it kinda IS like a replacement for his sword . . . ::shrugs:: . . . if I get the time to write you may SEE his longer bit of metal, ne? ;3 shh! no telling, now! n.n;; lol . . . again, thankies, Carthage-san! n.n I'll try to do more character interactions!)_

PPS

Any who see this chapter in the future won't get it . . .

But Chapter Six was published on (today) Saturday, September 11, 2004

A moment of silence for all those lost three years ago on 9-11, that fateful Tuesday in 2001 . . .

::bows head::

u.u

Gomen, minna-san, that was a bad note to end this on, but I felt it was important, seeing as I'm a citizen of the United States.

n.n

Thank you for reading this, and reviews are, as always, eagerly read and greatly appreciated . . .

Ja ne!

Peace is the only situation in which we find ourselves bored.

::points to the first word in the line above:: out, minna-san.

:3


	7. Twins Part II

**AU – Tatakoe koukou no shusseki suru: Attending Tatakoe High**

_(alternate universe, shonen ai) Kurama and Hiei are normal humans attending regular, everyday human school. NOT YOUR USUAL SCHOOL 'AU' FIC. This time they DON'T go to the same high school . . . pairings; KurHiei, YusKei, KuwYuk, KoeBot._

Shonen ai (perhaps some yaoi) eventually. n.n;;

BE WARNED if you don't like it, ok, minna-san? n.n

Pairings: Kurama x Hiei, Yuusuke x Keiko, Kuwabara x Yukina, Koenma x Botan

Disclaimer: Kita doesn't own yuyu. So don't you/you sue, kudasai. :3

Semi-important notes . . .

1- Yuusuke, Keiko and Kuwabara's school is still Sarayashiki Junior High (Yuusuke, Kuwabara and Keiko are all fourteen).

2- Hiei's school is Tatakoe High (the next step for students in Sarayashiki Junior High).

3- Kurama, Yukina and Botan's school is Meiou High. (Hiei, Kurama, Yukina and Botan are all sixteen).

ARG!!!!

X.x;;

This is something I have just realized as of late . . .

IT'S CHAPTER NUMBER SEVEN AND NOT EVEN TWO DAYS HAVE PASSED IN THIS FIC!!!!

ERK . . . X.x;; . . . yea . . . IF any of you've noticed, chapter one starts out on roughly Thursday afternoon, and 'today's Friday . . .

X.X;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

(incidentally . . . '7' is actually one of my favorite numbers, lol n.n;; (eheh . . . Oo;;;;) )

GRRRRR!! -.-;;;;

sigh T.T;;

( u.u;;;; )

ah, yes, and to Paperclip-chan . . . .

::pats her on the head:: n.n;;;; you find out in THIS chappie why Akari didn't adopt both Yukina AND Hiei, lol n.n;;

eheh . . .

ok, moving on ( -.-;;)

Thankies are at the end! n.n

(xxxxxxx)

**Friday afternoon**

(::still flashback::)

(xxxxxxxxxxxxx)

_. . . beforehand . . ._

(xxxxxxx)

"Set them down in here; we'll work on adoption tomorrow. Let them spend this time with their mother." Then, he seemed just now to notice Akari's presence, and bowed low. "Sumimasen for the intrusion, Niisa-sama. It was an emergency." Then, to the nurses again . . . "Take shifts checking in on them." He turned to bow to the two bedridden women before leaving. "If you will, please excuse me." Two of the nurses exited as well, and the one carrying the two bundles set them each inside the crib, then checked the mother's medical equipment . . . and left.

(xxxxxxx)

(xxxxxxx)

Chapter Seven

_Twins: Part II_

(xxxxxxx)

The next few hours were . . . interesting, to say the least. As they were now roommates, they talked, rather than sitting in tense silence, the young woman not having the strength to fall asleep. The girl told Akari how she had gotten pregnant, the guy had left, and then, nine months later, here she was. She wasn't even out of high school, the young mother continued, and couldn't raise them by herself . . . so she was putting them up for adoption. Akari felt her pain, deep-seeded as the poor girl would be almost at the point of tears, only to hold them back and continue on with her story . . .

"So . . . "the teen mother finished quietly. "I'm seventeen, and have two beautiful children that I cannot keep . . . I can't even HOLD them, otherwise I know I'll never be able to give them up . . ."Now, she stared numbly at the hands limply resting in her lap and Akari worried for her health, what with her fragile state and the girl's obvious exhaustion . . . so she reached out with her voice, though it was slightly choked, and whispering from the heart-wrenching story . . .

" . . . I'm . . . I'm . . . so sorry . . . "

A few minutes later, the silence eventually was broken and the young girl proceeded to ask why the elder woman was here. Akari looked away.

"I was pregnant, as well . . . but my child was a still-born." she admitted bitterly, hiding her face in her hands lest a wave of tears rush over her at any moment. She heard a sympathetic sound from the girl and looked up. The green-haired teen smiled weakly, and it was now that Akari noticed her eyes . . . they were . . . oddly . . . red . . . realizing the girl was saying something, she tuned in again . . .

"—and a girl. If you were looking for two children to raise, I would be honored if you would take them in." The abnormally crimson eyes wavered. "Please . . ." she almost whispered . . . ". . . I want to at least know . . . that they are going to a good home . . ." Biting her lip, Akari looked away in shame.

"I'm . . . so sorry . . . "she repeated, "—but my husband and I have only prepared for one . . . we don't have enough money to take two children right now . . ." she shifted her teary eyes to the young woman that was at least seven years her younger. ". . . I'm sorry . . . "she whispered again. The green-haired girl bit her lip, shifting her red gaze to the crib containing the two sleeping twins, then lay back, her gaze closing . . . at last choking out an answer from behind the shuttered eyes.

"Then that is how it must be . . ." she forced out, her voice whispery and weak. "Choose. I will hold nothing against you; I only want the best for them."

And that was how it had gone. When Kuroi had come a few hours later, as he did every day after work, she tested the idea out. He was ecstatic at the possibility of having another chance at parenthood, and helping out another human being, but when it came to the hopeful request of adopting both of them, he sighed, explaining that their income was barely enough for ONE child, let alone two . . . if they adopted them both, they would be thrown out on the street in a matter of weeks.

When the tired, young mother woke, she averted her eyes upon hearing the reinforced 'news' . . . but finally saying that she would be glad, since it could not be helped, if at least ONE of her children went to such a caring home . . .

Grasping her husband's hand, he half-carried, half-led Akari to the double crib on the other side of the room, where the still-sleeping infants lay. Her eyes scanned over the two, not yet clothed, easily telling the girl from the boy. Akari reached a hand out before she knew what she was doing, tracing a gentle finger over the newborn girl's bumpy skin.

"Her." She breathed at last to her husband, before almost collapsing entirely. He took her over to the bed, then laid her down in it, and brought the child over to her side of the bed, the opposite side from where the teen mother's bed lay. He had the child in his arms, and gazed at her for a long moment, before passing the baby to his wife, where she tried to get the little one to eat, and the girl latched on hungrily, instinctively. Looking up, she noticed the mother looking at her with a blank stare. Feeling the tears in her eyes, Akari breathed, almost inaudibly . . .

". . . thank you . . . . . . . what's her name . . . ?" The mother's gaze shifted from the new foster parent, to the child she held so tenderly, and the young girl smiled, just ever so softly.

"Yukina." she whispered, and Akari's breath caught in her throat . . .

. . . such a beautiful name . . . it fits such a beautiful child . . .

She cooed, facing the infant in her arms, but speaking her deeply grateful thanks to the brave mother, kissing the little one's brow softly as the baby continued to feed, Kuroi watching on with a reverent smile on his face . . . and the 'real' mother's expressionless face, the soft crimson eyes looking as painful as though a knife of ice was being deeply thrust into her heart, at taking in the scene . . . but she turned away, the pale, sea-green bangs convieniently falling to conceal her odd, unusually-colored, gaze . . .

(::end flashback::)

Their poor mother . . . Hina . . .

. . . and Yukina's oniisan . . . the shy girl's elder brother . . .

Hina had been moved to a different room the next day, so she hadn't seen her, the boy gone, as well . . .

And then, when Yukina had been about six or seven, the second-in-command at Kuroi's company had unexpectedly died, and he, as the only one who knew the inner workings of the building well enough to run it, had been promoted. They'd tried to hunt down Yukina's elder brother at that point in time, to hopefully reunite them and live together . . . the new salary allowing them to move to the 'rich' district of town; a place Akari had been proud to continue raising her daughter.

But, by then, the boy had been placed in a foster family of his own, and, being the kind, caring people they were, they hadn't wanted to intrude on the happy new family that must be THRILLED to have such a miracle in their house . . . that's how it was for the Niisa family, at least . . .

She, of course, had then looked into the boy's history, secretly cursing herself whenever she found he had been shifted to another home.

Akari had lost track of his records after he disappeared from that family with three children . . . briefly, she touched upon the discomfort of not knowing what had happened to that young boy . . . he had vanished from the orphanage's documents . . . still only around eight years old . . .

However, not wanting her perfect little daughter to know of such horrendous acts—done by adults to such an unfortunate child—for it would completely do away with the girl's sweet innocence and charming naiveté . . . had kept the brother's history and existence quiet.

Besides, telling her of her sibling would only lead to questions of why they hadn't kept him, and then the whole adoption complex would rear its ugly head.

No, they hadn't told her that she was . . . adopted . . .

'The time wasn't right' . . . they kept saying to themselves . . .

But someday . . .

She will know; Akari vowed solemnly.

She will know . . . about Hina . . . . . . . and Hiei. Her dark blue eyes again focused on the oddly innocent and polite sixteen-year-old girl working diligently on her homework, gentle red eyes puzzled as she concentrated . . .

She WILL know . . . someday . . .

**(xxxxxxx)**

Friday evening

**(xxxxxxxxxxxxx)**

Hiei scoffed.

Hn . . .

Baka.

A gang of about four or five teens had surrounded him on the way home, jeering and insulting his height, age and ability. He would NOT let this pass . . .

So, here they were, in a dark alley, not three blocks away from Hiei's 'home', facing off in the fast-dwindling twilight.

"Oi, kid, are you crazy? Ya can't take on all of us at once." the fifth, and obviously the leader, taunted, a toothpick sticking out of his mouth while a cocky grin spread out on his face.

"Hn." Hiei finally commented, turning to face the arrogant boy, hands in his pockets, red eyes sharp as always, though his body's position was almost relaxed. "Baka. You couldn't beat me on your own, so you resort to numbers to hide your inferiority?" He scoffed again, turning his back to the gang. "Pathetic."

Hiei grinned wickedly, though no one could see it, as he felt the wind rush from behind, and quickly ducked, letting his upper body approach the gravel in a controlled fall, placing his hands firmly on the rough ground and then bringing his left leg up behind him . . .

He heard a sickening THUD as his boot solidly connected (and slightly mushed) into the attacking teen's gut, and heard him fly backward into a conveniently placed group of trash cans.

"Hn." Swinging the well-used foot down, he landed easily, the unused right leg bent under him, while the left was spread out to balance his weight. The two hands provided a steady ballast, as he crouched with almost feline agility for an instant, the dark, sadistic grin on his face slowly giving way to a smug smirk. Then he stood slowly, taking in the group with a glint in the crimson eyes that sent the lesser members into a cold sweat. Those frightened two rushed over to their unconscious leader, hoisting the buff guy onto their shoulders, finding themselves the subject of an—almost—FERAL . . . 'smile'. They turned and ran, dragging their comrade behind them, as the two remaining members stood their ground. His gaze shifted slowly—almost lazily— back to them, the same unnatural spark flickering deep within garnet depths.

Hiei wished darkly for a moment that he hadn't forgotten his switchblade . . . THEN things would really get fun . . .

The red eyes widened at the unintended realization.

"Shimatta!" Hiei cursed softly, fixing a more normal, though no less dark, glare on the two boys that were nearly quivering, but wanting to stand their ground; like 'men'. "We'll finish this another time." And, using his years of built-up speed, he flitted away into the night.

The two remaining teens slid to their knees, their voices shaky as they found the strength to speak.

" . . . he . . . he could have . . ."

" . . . he would have . . ."

Crying like the idiots they were, they grabbed onto each other's shoulders and bawled what was left of their brains out; just happy to be alive after THAT encounter.

That guy . . . he could have . . . WOULD have . . .

—killed them?

**(xxxxxxx)**

His homework finished (as usual), a certain redhead made his way to the park . . .

Mulling over the events of the previous day in his mind, he looked up suddenly, now realizing his feet had taken him to the Tree, and an unconscious smile drifted onto his face.

Hoisting himself up through the branches, Shuichi climbed up, settling on a branch he had decided was the safest bet. Folding his arms behind his neck, he rested his head on the rough bark, the crimson locks easily sliding over the elegantly linked hands . . .

He sighed a few moments later, and squirmed a bit.

HOW could that guy possibly be COMFORTABLE sleeping here?!?

An annoyed look graced his fair face, and he sighed in resignation, putting a hand to the trunk and readying himself to climb carefully down . . .

What?

There . . . a glint.

( . . . take it . . . )

Eyes curious, one hand reached out to the hole in the trunk, fishing around inside . . . he had seen something shine in there, when it just caught the light at a chance angle . . .

Finding something smooth and hard, he ran his fingers over the object, wincing when he felt something suddenly SHARP poke his left index finger, undoubtedly drawing blood. Restraining from withdrawing his hand immediately, the fingers carefully closed around the object, then brought it out into the fading light.

He nearly laughed at what he saw.

I'd have never imagined THAT guy would be the type to forget something like this . . . he thought . . . still chuckling inwardly as he swept his amused jade gaze over the small, but still very sharp, blade. Then the thought occurred to him, and his breath caught in realization.

He'll be back for it . . . his green eyes eventually rested on the small line of red on the tip of his finger, and he absently put it to his mouth, wincing at the coppery taste, but wanting to keep out infection. Sighing again, only this time at his stupidity, he set the blade down, and took out a tissue from his pocket, glumly applying it to the slightly leaking appendage . . . fingers . . . they ALWAYS bled more than any other part of the body . . . alas, for the many nerve endings . . .

Deciding to wait to climb out of the tree (until the bleeding stopped), Shuichi glanced at the knife lying on the wide branch next to him. Hmm . . . shifting the tissue into his left hand, to be held by another finger pressed stubbornly against it, he picked up the knife with his right, and examined the smooth blade.

Fading beams of the sun shone off it, and he could even see a bit of his own reflection, though warped, in the clean, cold metal.

An idea sparked in him, and he eyed the tree trunk, slightly hesitant to mar the beauty and open it to the hordes of insects that waited for such a chance . . . but, his more mischievous half suggested, then he'll know you were here . . .

Shaking his head, he wondered how such a voice had gotten into him in the first place.

Oh, don't give me that . . . now the presence sounded annoyed . . . EVERYONE deals with this side of them, Shuichi.

LIVE with it.

The redhead mentally rolled his eyes . . . yeah, yeah, sure . . .

But now he sighed . . . because he had realized, if he were to put his 'real' name down, anyone who came up here would know it was him . . . his handwriting and name were too good NOT to recognize. ( -.-;; )

His lips curved down a bit to match the newly dampened mood.

What a bother . . .

Ah, but now his eyes lit up with a new idea . . .

He carefully chiseled the characters into the smooth bark of the tree . . . a few minutes later, after having carved them exquisitely into the thick bark, he looked back, and admired his handiwork.

Perfect . . .

Smiling, and laughing a bit inside, he re-sheathed the blade, then stuffed it easily into his pocket, and went on to check his finger. Yes, the blood-flow had stopped . . . still being careful with his left hand, he gingerly climbed out of the tree, jumping down from the last branch, causing the red locks to rustle a bit, and glanced back over his shoulder to the old pine. He smiled again, then turned his gaze back to the ground . . . and started 'innocently' walking away.

**(xxxxxxx)**

n.n

I . . . liked . . . this chappie . . .

But, seeing as I don't REALLY hate any of them (considering I'm the author and absolutely CANNOT LOATHE my own work X.x;;) that's really not saying much, ne, minna-san?

-.-;; sigh.

but o-k, anyway . . .

another filler chappie!!

::peace sign::

don't hate me, minna!

n.n;;

they just happen sometimes u.u;; . . .

eheh . . . please review kudasai!

I'd be very happy if you did!

n.n

- Kita-chan (n.n;;)

PS

_Doumo arigato gozaimushta . . ._

_Volpe Di Spirito (lol!! n.n YUP, he sure is!! . . . but you gotta luv those 'no-good punks' (quoting Carthage-san) anyway, ne? ::peace sign n.n lol, arigato for reviewing, as always, Volpe-chan! (and update that fic with a neko(cat)-Hiei SOON, chica!) n.n)_

_Hiei's Gothic Angel (yay! n.n;; oh, I feel so honored and special! n.n thanks for continuing that fic! it's a cool idea, and I'd hate to see it fizzle away into a blob of nothingness off to join the many other wonderful fics that have sadly dissolved and fallen into the never-ending abyss dubbed 'discontinuation'!! T.T;; (if you understood a word of that I'll give ya a COOKIE!!) n.n;; lol . . . eheh . . . and again, thanks for reviewing, Angel-chan! n.n doumo!)_

_Queen of the Paperclips (yes, yes you will (n.n;;) REVIEW AGAIN!! (at least I HOPE so . . . Oo;) n.n;; eheh . . . ok . . . on to a more NORMAL train of thought . . . AH, it got derailed!! WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE AND GET EATEN BY RATS!!! X.x;;; erkk . . . hey, it's a Friday, I'm finally free, ne? (-.-;;) cut me some slack kudasai . . . onegai? X.x;;;; ah, and if you got my note at the beginning, hope you understand the whole 'adoption situation' better-ish now!! n.n yay! . . . Oo;; Hiei . . . as a . . . tree-jumping baboon?!? . . . . . . . SWEET!!! ::stares off into space, her mouth twitching as drool starts to accumulate:: ARK!!! . NO HENTAI THOUGHTS!! ::bangs head with the wooden board used by the monks in 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail':: X.X; ORO!!! x.x;;; . . . and yes, he does jump a bit much . . . but that's Hiei for ya, ne? n.n lol, and again, danke ('thanks' in German n.n;;) for reviewing yet AGAIN, Paperclip-chan! n.n)_

_Crystal-Kuramas-gurl (awwww, thanks so much!! n.n ::feels all happy and honored now:: n.n honestly, I really DO mean it . . . ::hands her some Kurama and Hiei plushies:: doumo arigato, Crystal-chan! n.n THANKS!)_

_What2callmyself (What2-chan! n.n hey! glad you reviewed again . . . lol! I LIKE your science teacher's way of thinking, chica . . . is he free? ::wink:: n.n; LOL!!! j/k!!!! j/k!!!! J/K!!!! n.n;; eheh . . . I couldn't resist a little weirdness, ne? ::shrugs::n.n;;;; BUT moving on . . . thanks so much (yes, AGAIN), What2-chan!! n.n YAYNESS!! LOL! n..n)_

_Kitsune Kit (n.n of course! you're just as important as anyone else that reviews, even if you don't babble insanely like some of the others do (though I do LUV the insanity . . . . Oo;;) lol, and thanks again for telling me your thoughts on the chappie, Kit-chan! n..n)_

_shadow priestess (X.x;; OI! JAPANESE . . . and GRAMMAR, nonetheless!! Ich verstehe das NICHT!! X.x;;; ORO!!! (though I think it had SOMETHING to do with 'party' and 'what' Oo;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;) -.-;;; gomen . . . I guess when I said I was 'self-taught' I sorta meant . . . pronunciation and writing, eheh. n.n;; gomen . . . but I'm really impressed if you taught yourself grammar and such!!! yay for you! n..n in ANY case, danke schoen fuer reviewing, shadow-chan! n.n doumo!)_

_Sate (n.n;; lol, you got a good point, there, Sate-chan . . . X.x;; ORO!! what if Hiei DID get caught shoplifting, ne? Oo;;; I think I'd have a heart-attack, because that would never happen . . . unless he was unconscious or something and THEN the people found out he shoplifted . . . ::shrugs:: ANYWAY, thankies for reviewing, I very much appreciate it as always, Sate-chan! n..n)_

_Private 2nd Class Day (::smiles:: Thank you. I was very happy to get your review, as you're the only one who commented on my little 'note'. n.n Arigato gozaimushta, Private-san. n..n thank you . . . :3 )_

_Carthage ( n.n thanks! and of COURSE I'll keep writing!! it's my 'thing', lol . . . n.n;; eheh. ANYWAY, thankies again for the review and I'm sooo glad you think Hi-kun's in character!! n.n he's the toughest to write as a teen, (seeing as he's the only one who ISN'T one in the series) . . . lol!! n.n;; eheh . . .)_

Ok, now chotte matte(wait a minute), minna-san . . .

one more little note and then you can all go off to read some more fics or whatever it is you do in your spare time . . . provided it isn't breeding some kind of purple frog to throw at me Oo;; . . .

believe it or not, but I DO notice when people don't review . . .

I get used to typing all these nice little names and when I miss a few of them, I remember it.

so . . . I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you've reviewed before, please do so again!

n.n

I really have fun writing back to all of you in these little review-responses that I do . . .

::shrugs::

do whatever you like, though. n.n

I won't hold it against you if you remain silent, but I like to talk to you guys.

n.n

::peace sign::

Ja ne, minna-san.

:3

Peace out.


	8. A proposition

**AU – Tatakoe koukou no shusseki suru: Attending Tatakoe High**

_(alternate universe, shonen ai) Kurama and Hiei are normal humans attending regular, everyday human school. NOT YOUR USUAL SCHOOL 'AU' FIC. This time they DON'T go to the same high school . . . pairings; KurHiei, YusKei, KuwYuk, KoeBot._

Shonen ai (perhaps some yaoi) eventually. n.n;;

BE WARNED if you don't like it, ok, minna-san? n.n

Pairings: Kurama x Hiei, Yuusuke x Keiko, Kuwabara x Yukina, Koenma x Botan

Disclaimer: Kita doesn't own yuyu. So don't you/you sue, kudasai. :3

Semi-important notes . . .

1- Yuusuke, Keiko and Kuwabara's school is still Sarayashiki Junior High (Yuusuke, Kuwabara and Keiko are all fourteen).

2- Hiei's school is Tatakoe High (the next step for students in Sarayashiki Junior High).

3- Kurama, Yukina and Botan's school is Meiou High. (Hiei, Kurama, Yukina and Botan are all sixteen).

::is perplexed::

( . . . due to the review turnout for last chapter . . . )

I feel alternately loved and ignored T.T

;.; hope you guys like this installment (slightly?) better u.u... . . .

OH! BEFORE I FORGET . . . the deal with Kura writing on the tree last chapter was . . . what he put on there was basically a short message.

Although he DID sign his name ::wink:: . . . ::hands plushies to Queen of the Paperclips and What2callmyself for being the only ones who took a guess . . . ::

Lol, you find out why I DIDN'T just have him carve 'Kurama' on the bark in this chappie . . .

Hopefully no more confusion, minna-san!!

:: peace sign :3 ::

Thankies are at the end! ( n.n;; . . . )

(xxxxxxx)

**Friday evening**

(xxxxxxxxxxxxx)

_. . . beforehand . . ._

(xxxxxxx)

Red eyes widened at the unintended realization.

"Shimatta!" Hiei cursed softly, fixing a more normal, though no less dark, glare on the two boys that were nearly quivering, but wanting to stand their ground; like 'men'. "We'll finish this another time." And, using his years of built-up speed, he flitted away into the night.

(xxxxxxx)

(xxxxxxx)

Chapter Eight

_A proposition_

(xxxxxxx)

D—n it all . . .

Gritting his teeth, Hiei ran as fast as he could back along the paths . . . he noticed the sky darkening as the sun began to fade, and increased his speed, now practically nothing but a black blur as he raced back to the tree in the park . . . where he had left his switchblade.

**(xxxxxxx)**

After what seemed like hours, the red-eyed teen finally reached his destination; climbing up with an assurance and speed that rivaled any feline's grace. Reaching the spot, he placed his hand in the hole, searching around for . . .

K'so!

He growled, pulling his hand out quickly. It was empty . . .

The black-clad boy now blinked; finally noticing the elegant scrawl on the bark, just above and to the right of the hole in the trunk. He moved his face closer, to read the characters, and then let out a low hiss, jerking back again, eyes transforming to slits of sparking crimson as he glared fiery death at the short message.

"Kisama . . ." he muttered, scanning over the letters again, eyes memorizing the brief details . . . before he swiftly jumped down from the tree; off and running to the designated place.

Who is it—kisama—who IS it!?!

He continued to race away into the night; the spiky blue-black hair blown back a bit in the breeze he was creating for himself . . . the short teen pushed away the nagging feeling in his gut . . . that he KNEW . . . who . . .

**(xxxxxxx)**

The redhead was leaning, hands in his pockets and back against the tree, in the park just a few blocks away from his home . . .

He had been standing there for close to three-quarters of an hour.

The shadows of the fast-waning sun spilled through the fading autumn leaves, falling subtly over the casual clothing he wore. A vague, half-amused smile found its way onto his face as the green-eyed teen recalled the scant sentence he had carved into that tree, not even a half-hour before . . . and then signed it . . .

He chuckled again to himself . . . the boy should arrive WELL before darkness fell . . .

**(xxxxxxx)**

Hiei found himself getting closer to the spot . . . running the short directions through his head yet again, he scanned his eyes over the park, searching . . . . and then his eyes narrowed.

There . . .

Coming to an abrupt halt, to stand in front of him, the shorter teen glared openly up at the other, annoyance showing clearly in his tone and manner as he spoke, eyes seeking to meet the gaze of the thief, to determine the level of 'honesty' . . .

"Kurama." The figure, concealed by the tree's lengthening shadows, let out a chuckle at the single word that was spoken only for confirmation, closing his eyes and pushing his upper back away from the trunk, hands still buried in the 'pink' uniform's pants pockets. He then slowly stepped into the darkening light. Now Hiei narrowed his eyes . . . he could see the jade orbs that were now sparkling with obvious mirth . . . and something else, hidden—

"You might say . . ." the boy finally murmured softly . . . after having run his gaze up and down the new arrival's small form . . . then averting his now teasing eyes to a most interesting spot, located away to his left . . . giving the impression that whatever had now caught his attention was far more interesting than the irate teen before him . . . a moment later they flickered back up, and a smile broke out on the fair face . . . as the redhead chuckled in response to the dangerous flash in the dark eyes of the one he was tormenting.

"What do you want." Hiei spat out in a cold, restrained tone, his angry glare never moving from where it was locked on the dark green orbs. The redhead nodded, getting to the point.

". . . I take it . . . you want your blade back . . . ? " A flat, annoyed glare answered his casual question, and Kurama found himself chuckling again . . . matte . . . . . . who . . . . . . has ever been . . . . . this AMUSING . . . before . . . . . . ? . . . he wondered briefly, then sobered, remembering . . . and soon continued on, now in a aloof and indifferent voice . . .

". . . then . . . I have a proposition for you." A single thin eyebrow was cocked, half disappearing under the white bandana that, for some reason, completely covered the red-eyed teen's forehead. Kurama fought back the urge to laugh again, and somehow managed not to crack his serious face.

"If you can defeat me . . . I'll return it to you." the taller finished coolly, finally allowing the smallest of grins to grace a corner of his mouth . . . the action coming dangerously close to a smirk. The shorter teen 'hn'ed, and turned his back to him, hands delved deep into black pockets. For a fleeting moment, Kurama thought he would leave, but then the dark figure spoke, with his back still turned.

"I can beat you anytime I want." The redhead suddenly moved back, narrowly avoiding the kick that came out of nowhere. The short teen hissed as the red orbs traced his adversary as the taller youth moved fluidly to the other side of the tree's trunk, settling into a stance in the time it took for Hiei's left foot to land neatly back on the ground . . . the action spinning the younger teen's torso in the slightest . . . so that he now faced his skilled opponent.

They stayed like that . . . Hiei standing to the right, in front of the tree, where he had landed, both arms slightly bent back at the elbows in preparation, eyes narrowed, his small form tensed for any sudden movement from the redhead . . . Kurama to the left, having also retreated into defense, his right arm put out parallel to his chest, the left poised and ready by his side . . . prepared for any indication of abrupt movement . . .

The peace lasted for scarcely more than a few brief moments . . . before inevitably becoming shattered.

The shorter leapt forward with a cry, his right arm shooting out in a flat-handed cut aiming directly for the green-orbed face. The redhead easily moved away to the left, his eyes glinting with deep-seeded amusement . . .

. . . as he swiftly passed by the attacker's side from his previous dodge, Kurama put his right arm out, catching the other, and—using his momentum to move around behind the darker teen—didn't give the unsuspecting fighter time to react as he quickly hooked his elbows under the boy's arms in less than an instant, crossing them securely over the other youth's chest and lifting his slight-framed opponent off the ground by a few inches as he straightened . . .

. . . holding the spiky-haired youth tight and restrained with the confident assurance that obviously came from many years of practice.

The wiry teen struggled, trying to break free from the firm grasp . . . without looking TOO undignified. After a few minutes, in which Kurama managed to keep his wriggling hostage, Hiei realized it was of no use, and cast a fiery and irritated glare over his right shoulder at his captor, turning his head a bit so as to deliver it eye-to-eye. The redhead laughed, then shook his crimson locks in disbelieving merriment . . . but did not release him.

Kurama leaned down, to whisper in the ear still facing him from the red-eyed teen's awkward position; the shorter boy had basically turned sideways as a result from his attempt at a glare.

"And what's your name, Kodomo-chan?" he whispered in a low voice, his teasing tone not lost in the could-have-been-embarrassing position he currently had the dark boy confined to . . . had they been younger and the latter more innocent. The pale skin under his face was abruptly replaced by surprisingly soft spikes of blue-black. Kurama drew back, slender brows furrowing, perplexed (though the eyes held faint traces of amusement) at the response.

The redhead registered that the other had whipped his head around, so that the garnet eyes were facing away again, having wrenched his ear from where the redhead had whispered so very softly into it . . . due to the fact that Kurama's grip had been loosened by the slight surprise and easy confidence . . . the captive broke free, skitting with almost unnatural speed to a safe spot under another tree.

"Hn." he commented, and Kurama could see the boy fold his arms over the small, compact chest, and then lean back against the trunk, feigning annoyance as he closed his eyes . . . . . but . . . perhaps the teen was still slightly shaken from being caught so easily . . . not a few minutes before . . . slowly, the taller of the two straightened . . . to meet a now dangerously dark garnet glare. The youth spoke again, his voice far too deep to be that of a child's.

"How long are you prepared to continue this." Kurama slightly smiled, and shrugged . . . ever so casually.

"As long as it takes for you to win." he replied, emerald-colored eyes twinkling with hidden mirth.

"Che." The darker boy looked away in arrogant dismiss, blatantly ignoring the steady gaze that lingered on him, before the green eyes shifted to look away to the sky, as well.

A few minutes, or perhaps hours, passed . . . in which the sun completely disappeared . . . and the silver orb of night began to tentatively peek out from its hiding place . . . the stars now visible throughout the entire sky, shining white pinpricks of light in the deep, dark expanse—

". . . hn . . . Tomorrow." When Kurama's confused gaze instantly snapped back to the darkened shadow, slender brows beginning to come together in puzzlement . . . he found to his surprise that there was no one there.

Gone . . .

Sighing . . . and shaking his head, he turned his gaze back to the sky, chancing to see the bright tail of a comet sweep over the dark heavens . . .

. . . his name . . . ?

**(xxxxxxx)**

Hiei walked home, gaze cast down, eyes puzzled in deep thought . . .

He scoffed inwardly . . . who does he think he is . . . currently glaring ferociously at the innocent sidewalk . . . he's so arrogant . . . at this the dark teen 'hn'ed, trying to ignore the whisper of truth that HE was no humble fighter, either . . . shaking his head, he looked up to find himself at an old, beaten down, ramshackle 'ranch' house . . . the grass was sparse and often bunched together in brown clumps, long and ragged from years of neglect . . . chips of paint were peeling off the rows of weather-stained wood . . . and most of the windows were dirty and broken.

. . . tadaima . . . he thought with bitter resignation. Hiei crossed the messy yard, spotting various foreign objects littered among the dying grass, walking around them with a dull and detached ease . . .

It HAD been beautiful . . . the paint, now grey and shedding, was once a cool, creamy white-yellow . . . the windows bright and reflecting the warmth inside . . . green grass healthy and well-kept . . . the lawn a free, safe space to play when he was younger . . . though most times he had chosen the backyard, for a bit of privacy . . .

He walked up the few cracked stone steps, opening the weather-beaten door and entered . . . a wave of some disgusting smell, that he didn't care to identify, met him. 'Otousan' had missed the trash again, no doubt . . . Hiei shook his head, closing the door quietly . . . not bothering to call out 'Tadaima!' or 'I'm home!'. . . he didn't need that bas—rd drunk of a 'father' to know he was home . . . if he was lucky he'd make it upstairs undetected and not have to face the middle-aged man that positively **reeked** of sake . . .

With quick motions, he slid off his shoes, then walked briskly into the hall, heading for his 'room' . . . in other words, the attic . . . which was barely big enough to be CLASSIFIED as a room, but better than sleeping on the dirty and well-worn first floor . . . for some reason, he had always liked tall places . . . there was . . . a certain sense of isolation . . . of peace . . . when you were up higher than everyone else . . . armies did it, as well . . . higher ground . . . he continued to walk, shrugging in his mind . . . that's what's best about trees, after all . . .

Lost in his recurring thoughts, he walked right over a . . .

Crrrreaaak . . .

Hiei froze, the sound like a car's horn blasting in the dead silence. Unconsciously, he held his breath, glancing at the pull-cord at the end of the hall that was the 'doorknob' to his room . . .

Still silence . . .

He let out a breathless sigh, and continued walking, but his eyes widened slightly . . . and then narrowed dangerously as he felt a presence behind him. So much for entering 'unnoticed' . . .

Hiei slowly turned around to face his only living foster parent; the dark garnet glare conveying most of his utter disgust as those cool red eyes slipped with disdain into foggy brown ones . . .

Ryujin was older than Miuko had been. The teen narrowed his eyes as he took in the scraggly beard on the elder's face. Long-dried stains of alcohol and vomit played across the dirty white muscle top he wore; the dull dark eyes and permanent red flush over his face the only visible signs of his intoxication.

A sudden image from the past—the youth remembered this same man going to work, dressed neatly in a business suit and tie, beard shaved, hair clean and fresh . . . and tussling the now-teen's mess of blue-black spikes good-naturedly as the big man laughed, heading off with a waved farewell to his wife and 'son' . . . to work.

Ryujin had spiraled downwards after Miuko's death. His employer had been sympathetic at first, but after the man's behavior only continued to worsen, the boss was forced to bump him down to the 'grunt' level.

The once middle-average-class businessman was now taking orders from those that had, at some point, served under him . . . the company head was hesitant to fire 'Imouta-san' . . . because he knew, from once being a close friend of Ryujin's, that it was Miuko's death that had brought this drastic change about, and had even MET Hiei a few times, when he came over for dinner . . . that was when Miuko had been alive, as well . . . the benevolent head of the company didn't want the designated 'child' to have to work for food . . . hn.

If only Kamata-san knew how that 'food money' was REALLY spent . . .

It was an obvious fact that his 'father' was a good two feet taller than him, and Hiei might have been intimidated . . . had he been anyone else. He glared without hesitation into the muddy brown orbs, and then the man began to speak, his sentences choppy and slurred.

". . . you . . . skipped . . . morning . . . today . . ." Red eyes narrowed even further, but the alcoholic continued. ". . . the school . . . called . . ." Hiei 'hn'ed, turning away.

"Is that all? I'm going to bed." He started to head down the hall.

"Don't you speak to your father that way!" Ryujin yelled in a sudden rage, no doubt spurred on by his drunken state, and Hiei heard harsh footsteps thumping behind him. Shaking his head, the teen easily avoided the hand that had sought to hit him front behind. Turning around, he glared dully at his father, realizing too late in his arrogance that the man's OTHER hand was coming around to—

From the force of the blow, Hiei was sent to the wall to one side of the broad hallway . . . he slid down the battered surface without a word, his rear landing with a dull 'thud' on the dirtied floor as his back was curled against the wall. He looked up, almost aghast (though his eyes were the only thing that conveyed it), to see Ryujin smirking, which was basically a lopsided, non-comprehending drunken grin of triumph. For a few moments Hiei was frozen . . .

. . . never . . . he had NEVER . . . Ryujin hadn't . . .

He'd never hit him before.

**(xxxxxxx)**

yay, my favorite chappie!

n.n;;

LOL, but personally I like the practically nonexistent moment of fluff and the Hiei's-all-ticked-at-Kura-as-they-talk-and-then-fight scene!

n.n

YAY!!!

n..n

( . . . btw, gomen for the cliffie, Volpe-chan, Kit-chan, Angel-chan, What2-chan, Ifurita-chan, Day-san, Paperclip-chan, shadow-chan and minna-san! n.n;; lol . . . )

::throws head back and laughs maniacally::

I HAVE FINALLY GONE INSANE!!  
  
::a weird, demented grin appears on her face::

Review kudasai!

n..n

::wicked, high-pitched, obnoxious cackling is heard::

- Kita-chan X..x;;

PS

_Arigato . . ._

_Vople Di Spirito (I know, right? ::gasps:: Kurama has broken his own taboo!! ;3 lol . . . ::laughs at Volpe's comment::: . . . eheh, a grinning Youko holding a knife . . . that IS funny, lol :3 . . . ah! 'tis ok about the kitty fic! ::smiles sunnily, then calls over her shoulder:: Oh Hi-ei!! Volpe's not quite ready to turn you back to normal yet!! ::a loud HISS is heard, and suddenly a black cat, with yellow eyes and a white mark on its forehead appears, looking around for her:: She's that way . . . ::Kita points behind a scrawny tree that Volpe-chan used to hide behind . . . the Hiei-cat takes off after her, and 'MEEP's are heard echoing in the distance as the authoress runs:: n.n LOL!! you can run from ME, but not the Hiei-kitty's wrath!! . . . . ::falls off chair after re-reading and realizing the utter stupidity and absurdity of that sentence!!:: n.n;; LOL! I'm in a weird mood tonight, ne? X.x;;;; oro . . . ah, and thanks for reviewing, Volpe-chan!! ::hands her a Youko plushie:: n.n arigato gozaimushta, chica!! :3 )_

_Kitsune Kit (oooh, headache. 'tis ok, Kit-chan n.n thanks for reviewing anyway! ::hands her a pack of ice:: hopefully that pain's LONG GONE by now, ne? n.n;; lol . . . )_

_Hiei's Gothic Angel (Angel-chan! YAY!! Someone as insane as me!! n..n lol . . . ::hands her a biiiiiiig mint chocolate chip cookie that has 'shonen ai' written on it in curvy, pretty letters . . . :3 ::. . . gomen if I end up not writing a lot . . . I had four hours of sleep last night . . . maybe THAT'S why I'm in such an odd mood now, ne? T.T;; sigh u.u;; . . . ah, the trials and triumphs of being a writer ;.;'' . . . ah, and YAYNESS!! SWEET!! SOMEONE OTHER THAN ME (and my friends . . . and my parents . . . and my aunt and uncle . . . and my cousins . . . and random strangers off the street that I'm really nice to for no particular reason . . . and underclassmen . . . and ::continues listing n.n;; ::) THINKS I'M ODD!! ::does victory dance:: I CAN ADD 'random nice online people' to the list, too!! n.n YAY!!! LOL!!! I'm TIRED!! Going to BED!!! GOOD-NIGHT!! ::falls asleep at computer:: snooooore . . . snoooore . . . mumblemumble . . . arigato for reviewing, Angel-chan! :3 I have finally gone INSANE!!! BRING ON THE WHITE JACKETS YOU CAN'T WRIGGLE OUT OF!!! n..n bye bye . . . ::is taken away, then shouts back:: I'LL ESCAPE IN TIME TO WRITE THE NEXT CHAPTER, ANGEL-CHAN! ARIGATO FOR REVIEWING!! n.n wow . . . that ended up being sorta . . . long. n.n;; lol!! n.n;;;;;;;;)_

_What2callmyself (dum dee dum . . . ::twiddles thumbs:: oh!! ::blinks:: HI!! . . . THANKS!! ::glomps and huggles:: LOVED YOUR REVIEW, CHICA!!! n..n THANKS SOO MUCH!!! lol, Kura sorta IS a 'Mama's Boy' . . . ne? n.n;; eheh . . . oh, and I KNOW!! jus had to put the little 'take it' in there, ya know? n.n;; eheh . . . ::shakes head:: bad habits from childhood, right? ::wide smile, twitching at the corners:: LOL!! n.n;;;;;;;;;;;; and as for the tutoring . . . :3 they set it for Monday afternoon, and I, with all my sad in-depthness, have only gotten to Friday night in this fic T.T SO 'after the weekend' you'll see that little session . . . keep the dates in mind, lol!! n.n alsooo you'll find out about what will happen with Hiei and Yuki in later chapters . . . and ah, yes! I'll also eventually tell you guys how Hi-kun found out about her, ne? n.n sweet . . . and arigato gozaimushta for reviewing, What2-chan! n..n doumo!)_

_Ifurita the Black (::shrugs:: 'tis ok n.n wasn't REALLY aiming that comment last chapter at you . . . know we're all busy people, ne? :3 I aimed more for the users that reviewed this fic ONCE in a previous chappie and didn't do so again n.n lol, I'm a glutton for feedback u.u;; sigh . . . ::is honored:: . . . ::bows:: . . . glad you think it's cute and you liked the background! n.n eheh . . . I have all this stuff planned for sooo much later in this story . . . but I need to find the time to write it all down!! T.T;; ERK!! . . . n.n;; lol, well, thanks again, Ifurita-chan! n..n arigato gozaimushta!)_

_PV2 Day (sure thing n.n it may take some time, but is worth the overall effort to actually aorta get to know my readers . . . ::shrugs:: n.n lol, I know, 'Youko's speaking to him in his dreams' right? nn;; eheh, not quite, but yeah X.x;; ORO!! BRAIN FRIED!! X..x;;; thanks for your compliments on how I worked the situation with the two twins, and get plenty of sleep!! I'm currenlty running on four hours from last night X.X;; ORO!! so THAT'S why I'm more insane than usual, lol n.n;; thanks again for the review, Day-san! n..n)_

_Queens of the Paperclips (YAY!! ::would do happy dance but is VERY tired right now ;.; :: aww!! I FEEL SO LOVED!! ::huggles!!:: n..n thankies, Paperclip-chan!! n.n I look at everyone on this site as a friend . . . that is, if they review so I can ACTUALLY TALK TO THEM!! -.-;;; grr . . . gomen nasai, I'm almost running on empty tonight T.T should go to sleep soon . . . WAH!! But I want to stay up and write because it's a Friday!! X.x;; ::shakes head:: decisions, decisions . . . eheh, I watch 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' every year at my b-day party in May!! n.n lol!! 'What is the weight of an unleaden swallow? . . . What do you mean? African or European swallow? . . . What?! I don't know that—AHHHH!!! . . . Gee, how'd you know? . . . I'm a king. You have to know these sort of things.' LOL!! n.n;; eheh . . . YAY!! n..n I'll try and stay on track, it's working so far I think!! n.n arigato gozaimushta for reviewing, Paperclip-chan!! :3 )_

_shadow priestess (ahh . . . got it. n.n lol, was a bit confused before nut now . . . meh. n.n;; lol, it's all good, ne? n.n;;;;;;;;;;;;; eheh . . . yes, yes, poor Yuki and Hina and Hiei . . . HEY!! Did you ever notice that 'Yukina' has the end part of 'Hina's name? The same 'ina', ya know? . . . and 'Hiei' and 'Hina' both start out with an 'Hi' . . . n.n;; LOL!! that's jus my and my obsessiveness talking, eheh. n.n;; aber danke shoen fuer reviewing, shadow-chan!! n.n arigato!)_

::wipes sweat off brow::

WHEW!!

even if it was only eight, that's a lot of response typing!!

I'll either start the next chapter or go to sleep . . . ::shrugs::

AH!!

As for the note last chapter . . .

I put in 'chotte matte' for 'jus a minute' and . . . well . . . it was late at night, I had just written a chapter, and so made a small error . . .

It's actually pronounced 'chotto matte'

an 'o' instead of an 'e' for the ending of 'chott' n.n;; lol . . .

does this REALLY matter?

—no . . .

does it make me feel better-ish?

yes. ( n.n;; )

WELL, I'm off to go do something, so please review, minna-san!!

n.n

Ja!

PPS

Extra note for non-reviewers . . .

Review onegai! I would like to hear your thoughts! n.n

Well . . . peace out, everyone!

:3


	9. Dealing

**AU – Tatakoe koukou no shusseki suru: Attending Tatakoe High**

_(alternate universe, shonen ai) Kurama and Hiei are normal humans attending regular, everyday human school. NOT YOUR USUAL SCHOOL 'AU' FIC. This time they DON'T go to the same high school . . . pairings; KurHiei, YusKei, KuwYuk, KoeBot._

Shonen ai (perhaps some yaoi) eventually. n.n;;

BE WARNED if you don't like it, ok, minna-san? n.n

Pairings: Kurama x Hiei, Yuusuke x Keiko, Kuwabara x Yukina, Koenma x Botan

Disclaimer: Kita doesn't own yuyu. So don't you/you sue, onegai. n.n

Semi-important notes . . .

1- Yuusuke, Keiko and Kuwabara's school is still Sarayashiki Junior High (Yuusuke, Kuwabara and Keiko are all fourteen).

2- Hiei's school is Tatakoe High (the next step for students in Sarayashiki Junior High).

3- Kurama, Yukina and Botan's school is Meiou High. (Hiei, Kurama, Yukina and Botan are all sixteen).

YAY!!!!

::giggles hysterically ( ;3 ) ::

::squeals ( n.n ) ::

::. . . . faints ( -.-; ) ::

oh, dear, oh dear, I got so many reviews!!

n..n

::is on cloud nine!!::

14, minna!!!

n.n

YAY!!!

::hands Kurama, Hiei, and Youko plushies to Hiei no Minarai, Volpe Di Spirito, Queen of the Paperclips, Nite Nite, Carthage, Kitsune Kit, What2callmyself, Hiei's Gothic Angel, PV2 Day, Vampire Ifurita, shadow priestess, Kooriya Yui, maliks-dragon, Black Mirror aaaaand . . .

Thankies are at the end!!

( n.n;; )

lol, on wit' the fic!! n.n

:: . . . twirls around happily . . . causing the readers to sweatdrop, just before they leave her alone and go off to read chapter nine . . . ::

(xxxxxxx)

**Friday evening**

(xxxxxxxxxxxxx)

_. . . beforehand . . ._

(xxxxxxx)

. . . Hiei looked up, almost aghast (though his eyes were the only thing that even came CLOSE to conveying it), to see Ryujin smirking, which was basically a lopsided, non-comprehending grin of triumph. For a few moments Hiei was frozen . . .

. . . never . . . he had NEVER . . . Ryujin hadn't . . .

He'd never hit him before.

(xxxxxxx)

(xxxxxxx)

Chapter Nine

_Dealing_

(xxxxxxx)

A few moments ticked by; Hiei, shocked motionless against the wall, and Ryujin still grinning sloppily down at him in triumph . . .

Then—

With a growl, Hiei leapt to his feet, punching the elder man with all the strength he could muster . . . straight in the gut. The stomach currently filled with beer gurgled disagreeably at the abuse, and Ryujin landed unceremoniously on the ground from the force of the blow, arms crossing instinctively over his stomach . . . only to look up as the red-eyed teen glared back at him from his sudden spot at the end of the hallway, the attic door having been pulled down from above, scant wooden steps leading up into darkness and beyond.

"Never Touch Me Again." Hiei hissed, his garnet eyes sparking with not only rage and disgust . . . but a hidden memory of fear . . . for not being prepared . . . and allowing a DRUNK ( . . . this time . . . ) to land a blow on him . . .

Before the dazed 'father' could reply, the dark youth had already disappeared into the attic, the stairs pulled up after him immediately, and Ryujin heard the lock slide in securely; so as to prevent any unwanted visits.

Sighing, the alcoholic rubbed his stomach, which was still aching from the small, compact and yet blatantly warning punch set upon it only a few moments ago . . .

He made his way to the kitchen, and opened up the refrigerator, eyeing the bottles either full or devoid of sake . . . his eyes blurred for a moment, as a light-filled, warmly smiling memory of his dead wife filled his mind . . . choking inaudibly, Ryujin grabbed a few bottles of the alcoholic drink, then went out to the ratty living room, settling on the overused futon . . . as he no longer had any desire to sleep in the bed he had once shared with another . . . and gave himself over to the sorrow . . .

To drink and suffer in silence.

**(xxxxxxx)**

Eyes still burning with the intense glare, Hiei took his aggression out on the only object that presented itself—

( . . . namely, the wall).

CRRACK!

The rotting wood gave a bit under his fist, splintering, and he pulled back, instead punching forward an instant later with another small, fisted hand.

CRREAK!! SCREE!!

CRAAACK!

The boards complained as he continued to pummel them slowly but fiercely, building an odd, rough rhythm after a while, the anger not fading from his eyes even as time wore on . . .

Finally, he grew tired of this distraction, and drew away from the wall, taking a REAL glance at the wood . . . splinters were hanging off every which way, and, feeling a twinge of pain, he looked down to his hands . . . covered with a few minor cuts sheltering bits and pieces of ruined wood.

Commenting aloud with an indifferent 'hn', he sat down where he was, cross-legged, and set to pulling the splinters that he could see out of his hands, wincing a bit on the inside, but only granting the dead lumber the look of his stoic, emotionless gaze as he completed the mandatory task.

When he was 'done' he could still feel the smaller shards that stubbornly remained in his flesh, and, lacking the right tools to get them out (despite not wishing to head downstairs just yet) he cast a dull stare over the small, dim room . . . his bleak gaze eventually landing on the small wrist-watch he had gotten years ago . . . red eyes clouded over as he remembered . . .

(::flashback::)

"Happy Birthday, Hi-chan!" Miuko chirped cheerfully, extending the package to the young boy, who merely looked up at her quizzically, cocking a single thin black line that was currently hovering over one garent eye. The woman laughed at the look, ruffling his hair, mussying the natural white highlights in the center, and causing a growl to rise up from the depths of his throat. She smiled even as she stopped chuckling, her eyes twinkling with restrained mirth.

"It's your ninth birthday, Hi-chan! Time for you to be more responsible . . ." The boy scoffed, still untrusting and rebellious, at this most recent 'mother' . . .

"Ch." Now it was Miuko's turn to raise an eyebrow.

"Open it or no dessert tonight." She said flatly. Hiei glared at her and she smiled brilliantly.

He took the box from her roughly, and ripped the brightly-colored wrapping paper off, revealing . . .

A brand-new wrist-watch.

Blinking, he pulled it out of the box, and carefully looked it over, seeming to take in the details . . . then, meticulously—and to the woman's great surprise and confusion—put it back, placing the lid securely on top, and held it out to her.

"Hi-chan? What are you doing, musuko?" He frowned at the 'son' comment, but spoke with blunt conviction.

"It's too nice for me. You should have it." Miuko's eyes widened as a fleeting throught crossed her mind ._ . . what has this boy been through . . . ?_

—she shook her head firmly.

"Iie. It's YOUR birthday, and that's YOUR present." Hiei glared up at her, but she was already patting him on the head again as she passed by, ignoring the second scowl and calling over her shoulder as she entered the kitchen to make dinner . . . for Ryujin was scheduled to be home within the hour.

"And don't let me catch you trying to throw it out, Hi-chan! That would be a TRUE waste, musuko!" The red-eyed boy heard her light voice in the next room, and his gaze drifted back down to the box held in his still-extended hand. He brought it back to him slowly, taking off the lid once again to look at the expensive piece of time management.

. . . . something . . . . .

—for . . . . . . me . . . . . . . . . ?

Confused, he took in the silvery object once more, eyes running thoughtfully over the tolerably useful device . . . before quickly heading up to his 'secret spot', and hiding the valuable item carefully away . . .

Then, he trudged out into the kitchen, and—without sullying the air with any unnecessary comments—

. . . began to help with dinner.

(::end flashback::)

Now that same watch, the only working one in the house, read ' 10:34 ' . . . in the shiny black numbers that were hidden behind the glass screen . . . yes, the thing still worked, even after all these years . . . once, the battery had broken, and—slightly alarmed—he had taken it to Miuko . . . though worried that she would be angry with him for battering such an expensive and precious gift. . . but she had just nodded and said they would go out to buy another battery later in the day . . . and they did.

Since then . . . he had kept it in his room, set up against the wall, hanging from a nail so he could tell the time when he woke up.

It even glowed in the dark . . . the face illuminating when you pressed a button on the side . . .

But it was not the only item found here that reminded him . . . of the years with 'Her' . . .

Scattered around the bleak room were a few scant mementos from 'days out', ticket stubs from a rare movie, and even lingering 'birthday presents' . . . he smirked when his gaze fell upon the sword—a REAL katana—poised in its stand, black leather covering the tempered wooden sheath and hiding the clean, sharp metal from view . . .

A dark smirk crossed his face as a thought drifted over his mind.

. . . now THAT would be a way to handle him . . .

His eyes were hidden by the thin ebony-indigo bangs, shadowing deeper emotions as he walked over and carefully removed the sword from its place, and then sat down at the juncture of wall and floor, not bothering to set out his thin, ragged futon and sheets.

Leaning comfortably against the wooden boards, he closed his eyes, grasp tightening on the sheath that was leaning against his left shoulder (and held securely by the corresponding hand), but then forcing himself to relax . . . upon feeling the familiar surface, he came to a decision as he began to drift . . .

Dinner could wait . . .

. . . Ryujin had to be stone-drunk, and dead-to-the-world . . .

—before the kitchen could be used without interference.

**(xxxxxxx)**

Kurama lay softly on his mattress, staring up at the dark ceiling of his room from his current position . . . his back on the bed, the crimson braid (to keep the long locks from tangling in the night) resting lightly against his pillow, as the deep green forests scanned the dim surface above . . . the western-style bed rustled a bit under him as Shuichi shifted to his side, facing away from the window . . . staring into the darkened room, as bare beams of moonlight filtered in . . .

_Kurama . . ._

Who was it . . . emerald eyes darkened in thought, trying to recall . . .

. . . who was the last person to call me that?

Kurama . . .

_. . . Kurama . . ._

Somehow I don't believe it was 'kaasan . . .

_. . . Kura . . ._

His eyes widened, just the slightest bit, at the final realization . . .

Wait . . .

_. . . Kura . . . -kun . . ._

ah . . .

Those same jade-colored orbs dimmed in recollection, returning to the past . . .

_. . . Kura, hurry up!_

_It'll be fun, 'kitsune'!_

Childish laughter played through his mind at the silly nickname, drawn from the 'youko' connection when he was younger, and the smallest of wistful smiles passed across his face . . .

_—let's go!_

Of course . . .

_Kurama-kun!_

Sighing, the teen closed his eyes, finding that the image in his mind's eye had shifted from the dark, red-eyed boy . . . to that of a much kinder and younger visage . . . the person in question being a much older acquaintance than the irritable, spiky-haired youth . . .

A fortunate fact that it was a Friday . . .

The old memories ended up keeping the redhead awake . . .

—for most of the night.

**(xxxxxxx)**

Saturday morning

**(xxxxxxxxxxxxx)**

A shrill beeping noise resounded through the scarcely-decorated room. Without a sound, tired red eyes blinked open a few times, clearing sleep that still clung gently to them, as the owner of the gaze then shifted to look at the small wristwatch hanging on the wall . . .

' 6:45 '

For a moment puzzlement touched upon the crimson orbs . . . all too quickly turning to a dull, annoyed glare as the dark youth remembered . . .

K'so . . . . . . he'd forgotten to unset the alarm . . .

Resigned to the weary fact that he would never get back to sleep . . . (and also remembering a certain incident that had taken place a few years ago—when he had, for some reason, woken up at three in the morning—and was unable to sleep again until the next night . . . ) . . . Hiei carefully pushed himself up from the floor, becoming aware once again of the sword in his hands. He remembered faintly falling asleep—his small, pale fingers firmly wrapped around the black sheath while he drifted off—this thought occurred as he walked over to the stand and set the katana back up in its proud pose.

Shaking his head at his unusual forgetfulness, his mind was soon cleared by all coherent thoughts as a rumbling growl floated up from his empty stomach. Sighing, he remembered the stolen soup and ramen, and silently unlocked the trapdoor that opened down into the hallway—knowing full-well that Ryujin would be knocked out with a hangover this early in the day . . .

Padding softly down the wooden steps, the teen then crossed quietly over the cold cement that made up the most commonly-used floor of their house, his feet secretly thankful for the miniscule relief when he entered the kitchen and stepped upon the smooth (though, as always; cheap) grey tile covering it.

Not sparing a glance into the messy living room to see if the drunken man was awake yet or not—the snoring gave it away all too well—Hiei bent down, pulling a small pot from a drawer below. He filled it with tap water from the sink, frowning slightly at the tainted color of the liquid that was pouring into the 'clean' container.

He placed it carefully on the stove anyway, turning the electric appliance on and then just stared . . . with an unreadable look in those garnet eyes . . . at the still surface of the water—until he sighed and turned around, hoisting himself up to sit on the edge of the counter.

The blue-black-haired boy looked out the window; finding that the wonderful view of the house next to them was almost as beautiful as their own . . . considering the designs for all the cheap houses on this block were depressingly identical . . .

The teen sighed, shifting his gaze once again, this time choosing to stare dully up at the crudely-painted ceiling, as his thoughts reverted back to the night before . . . a slow softness threatened to disturb his distant gaze . . . though his body remained tense, those red orbs slipped shut, a frown finally coming to his face as he remembered the event . . .

Dark garnet eyes shot open, something like angry conviction smoldering in their depths.

I'll defeat him . . .

Now he heard the bubbling-over of the water on the stove, and slid nimbly off the dirty ledge, turning it off. That task completed, he placed a hand under the bottom of his uniform jacket and pulled his grey-colored undershirt up with a quick motion from the other . . . two small items fell into his outstretched hand, and he smirked, eyes glittering with a hint of malicious amusement as he continued to make his first meal in days . . .

That arrogant bas—rd . . .

Tonight.

**(xxxxxx)**

WHEW!!!

n.n;;

eheh . . . another filler chappie, ne?

n.n;;;;;;;

eh . . .

grrr ( -.-;;;;;; ) . . . the only part I liked about this was the Hiei bit at the end!

ERG!

X.x;;;

u.u;; sigh . . .

::shrugs::

it's jus how the chappie turned out, minna-san!

::peace sign!::

( n.n; eheh . . . ::looks around nervously, expecting to be pounced upon and then swiftly beaten into a bloody pulp in a mere matter of seconds . . . :: )

errrr . . . JA NE!!!!!

::runs away at top speed::

- Kita-chan n.n;;;;;;;;;

PS

Doumo arigatou gozaimushta!! n..n

_Hiei no Minarai (OMG!! ::huggles:: thank you soo much!! n..n I feel so loved!! :3 yay! . . . ah, yes and about the lil 'oopsie' having to do with my spelling of 'mother' in Japanese . . . n.n;;; eheh, I'm taking a Japanese course now so I FINALLY know how to spell it -.-;; . . . was going by the one I saw spelled most of the time in fanfictions, so yea . . . ::shrugs:: not the best to go by, be? X.x;; lol n.n;; BUT anyway . . . yeah, I know, so I'm going to use that spelling from now on (as in 'kaasan' instead of 'kasaan' . . . ) BUT THANKS FOR TELLING ME!! n..n I appreciate help . . . need all of it I can get . . . oro!! X.x;;; Again, thanks for reviewing, Minarai (Hiei's apprentice, ne? –.n lol) -san!! n..n doumo!)_

_Volpe Di Spirito (OH, I **KNOW**!! n.n;; lol, kawaii nonexistent fluff, ne? n.n;; eheh, sorry this storyline's taking so long . . . ARRG!!! X.x;;; I WANT TO GET OUT OF THIS BEGINNING STUFF ALREADY!!! :::curls up in a corner and cries:: T.T;;; I WANNA WRITE KURA AND HIEI AS A COUPLE!!! WAH!!! WAAAH!!! WAAAAAAA— ::is whacked on the head by an annoyed Volpe-chan. X.X oro . . . thanks . . . x.x;; . . . u.u;; ok, gomen, I'll stop now -.-;; . . . ah, yes and you find out why Kura's so advanced in techniques and stuff like that in the next few chapters . . . hopefully . . . if I get them written soon X.X;;; ORO!!!! x.x;; but seriously, I have some cool ideas for this fic, jus need to write 'em down!! n.n;; lol, thanks again for the review (and for actually READING this inane babble, eheh n.n;), Volpe-chan . . . and update 'THAT' fic when you get the urge (::peace sign!:: n..n) aaaand one last thing . . . ::holds a bag of catnip up, and Kurama quickly moves out of the way as Volpe is abruptly covered in the powdery substance . . . instantly, the Hiei-neko jumps up and begins to rub against her!! n..n:: LOL!!! 'another' cutesy moment, ne? n.n;; eheh . . . doumo, anyway! ( n.n;;; . . . ) )_

_Queen of the Paperclips (yup. n.n makes perfect sense to me . . . then again . . . maybe it doesn't make sense if it makes sense to me . . . because to make sense you must first be sane . . . which I am not . . . X.x;; . . . ah, well . . . ( lol n.n;; ) . . . ::laughs:: I KNOW, right?!? that lil fight scene!!! n.n YAY! glad someone liked it X.x;; . . . ok, cliffie is over, right? all better now? ::corners of mouth twitch . . . then her face bursts into a full-blown evil grin:: ;3 LOL!!! n.n;; eheh, I like your little, quote, too . . . ::shrugs:: thanks for reviewing again, Paperclip-chan! n.n arigatou!!)_

_Nite Nite (SWEET!!! YOU'RE STILL READING!! n.n;; eheh, I was worried you'd stopped . . . no way to tell, ne? X.x; u.u;; sigh . . . ah, yes, and I think I read one of your more recent fics . . . but couldn't review it because my computer's being stupid ::sticks out tongue at fanfiction dot net staff:: . . . then goes off to check your profile to see what story it was that she read . . . comes back:: ah, yes! 'The Return: Sequel to Unexpected' n.n cute story . . . ::shudders:: though . . . evil Karasu . . . and the poor doomed Midnight and Ame . . . u.u... ::tear, tear:: . . . oh, this fic's keeping your attention?!? really?!?!? X.x;; whoa . . . I probably would have stopped reading this lil thing a while ago . . . X.X;; freaky . . . ::shrugs:: well, hope this chappie was decent enough, and yea, I'm working on getting our two fav. characters to have more moments together . . . -.-;; 'tis slightly annoying for me, as well . . . the plot's going so slow!! T.T;; sigh u.u;; . . . ahem, and thanks for reviewing, Nite-chan! ::handcuffs her to Kurama, for protection from a certain irate hiyoukai:: n.n;; lol . . . )_

_Carthage (n..n sweet! Glad you like his family life . . . aha, and I noticed that, too. n.n;; lol, that both Atsuko and Ryujin are drunks . . . and also Kurama and Yukina's moms are both really nice (—.n lol, another parallel, ne? n.n;; eheh . . . ) and yea, he doesn't really have a family in the series . . . poor Hiei . . . and poor Hina . . . if I get around to explaining it, you'll understand that lil comment I just made ( ;.; poor, poor Hina u.u;; ) . . . AH, well before I ruin the storyline!! X.X;;; ORO!! well, thanks again for reviewing, Carthage-chan! n..n lol, I luv the input, chica! eheh n.n;; . . . )_

_Kitsune Kit (GAH!! ::beats her over the head with the desk she was just bashing her head ON:: NO!!! NOT THOSE THOUGHTS!!!!! BAKA DESU!!! (thankfully this chapter proved you wrong, eheh n.n;;; (Oo;;;;;;) ) . . . ::nods head in agreement:: yes, Kura-chan IS kawaii . . . ne? :3 . . . lol, say hi to your psychiatrist for me, and thanks for reviewing (insane as it may have been Oo;; . . . which is, of course, a good thing! lol n.n;; ), Kit-chan! n.n;; eheh . . . danke . . . )_

_What2callmyself ( (OO;;) ::claps:: another great review! (oo;;) . . . err . . . lol, liked the use of your 'big word', too n.n;; eheh . . . ::zips mouth shut with a smile:: you'll understand why Kura took Hi-kun's switchblade eventually, What2-chan!! n..n lol, I luv non-violent torture . . . ::smiles innocently . . . then gives peace sign:: n.n . . . lol!! I don't think Youko NOTICED you took the shinies, but rather heard you ADMIT you took them, ne? n.n;; lol, so it's really not MY fault at all if you die, ne? . . . ::crickets chirp . . . sweatdrops appear on her head:: ( n.n;;; ) NE??!?!? X.x; oro! X.X lol, please continue the 'mini-fics', as Fugen-chan (pen name: ' fugen ' ) dubbed it when I would do it in a review of HER Kura x Hiei story (Title: ' Sweet Childhood ' if you're interested in baby youko and Hiei kawaiiness . . . ::eyes go all dreamy in remembrance of the absolute cute-ness . . . ), lol! n.n;; eheh . . . ::huggles!!:: AND THANKS SOOOO MUCH (for the review, too!), WHAT2-CHAN!! ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU!!!! n..n! ;3 )_

_Hiei's Gothic Angel (really? your fav. chappie was the last one? . . . SWEET! eheh, cheater! using copy and paste . . . ::shakes head in good-humored disappointment:: . . . n.n;; . . . lol, but ANYWAY . . . hope you update soon, and I read the new chapter of 'The Dark Side to the Story' my comp won't let me review, not matter how many times I click the button u.u;; sigh . . . sorry about that, but the new chapter four was cool chica! n..n lol, liked how you adapted the idea . . . it fit jus right :3 . . . but either way, thanks for the review, Angel-chan!! n.n doumo! :3 )_

_PV2 Day (oh!! So we were in the same boat last chapter ne? n.n;; lol, I've gotten SLIGHTLY a bit more of sleep since then . . . but am currently living with the unexpected (weekday! X.X;;) schedule of going to bed at midnight and waking up anytime from six to seven in the morning -.-;; sigh . . . u.u;;; . . . really? the last chapter seemed short? . . . that's odd . . . I think I try to write about five pages per chapter or something like that . . . ::shrugs:: ah, well n.n;; what's past is past, ne? lol! n.n;; was this chappie any better? ::puppy eyes:: T.T; . . . and SWEET!! glad you like the way I did Hiei's room . . . I jus had the thought, you know? n.n glad it seems like it fits, Day-san (that's always good, ne? n.n;; eheh . . . )! well, I'll stop rambling and talk to ya later! Thanks for reviewing, Day-chan! n.n arigatou gozaimushta!)_

_Vampire Ifurita (Oo;; odd . . . evil fanfiction people ::glares at the staff, who pointedly ignore her:: T.T;; sigh u.u;; . . . I'm so powerless! ;.; . . . ah, well u.u;; . . . glad you like it so far! n..n hope you can end your two Kura x Hiei fics soon (because then you'll update soon! –.n) lol, but seriously, good luck with those :3 . . . and thanks for reviewing, Ita-chan! n..n . . . . . . . OMG!! I just read your ending chappie to 'Thinking of You'!!! SOOO KAWAII, Ita-chan!!! n..n I'm putting the review here since it won't let me review anymore T.T;; . . . I LOVED IT!! THANKS FOR THE SHOUT-OUT, CHICA!! . . . ah! ::nods:: NOW your 'change' in username makes sense, lol. n.n;; eheh . . . glad you like my reviews!! :3 I like yours, too! eheh . . . update 'Winter Murders' soon kudasai! doumo arigatou for the ending chappie ( #27 ) of that fic ( n.n;; pertaining to the thing with Hiei . . . simply LMAO, chica . . . jus ROTFLMAO . . . n.n;; eheh . . . n.n;;;;;;; ), and your review!! n..n thanks!! ;3)_

_shadow priestess (konban wa! n.n lol, jus had to slip some Nihongo in there, ne? ;3 lol . . . ah, me and my limited knowledge of how to speak Japanese ( T.T;; ) . . . -.-# sigh . . . lol, and yes, as for the hitting scene . . .n.n;; LOL!! I read chapter two of your fic (even though I most likely couldn't review it T.T . . . ) and 'chuckled inwardly'!! n.n;; LOL! OUR TWO SCENES WERE SOO MUCH ALIKE!! ::laughs!!:: and the weird part of it IS: we came up with them completely separate from each other, ne? n.n;;; LOL, that's jus odd . . . ::shrugs, eyes still twinkling and mouth twitching with restrained laughter:: n..n COOL AU FIC YOU'VE GOT GOING!! KEEP IT UP, CHICA!! n..n would like to read more of 'Mobius', shadow-chan . . . ::shrugs again:: :3 . . . and who's Yuu Watase? I've heard her name before . . . AH!! WHAT DID SHE DO?!?!? ORO!! X.X;;; tell meee!!! kudasai! onegai!! T.T;; . . . u.u;; sigh . . . ( watashi wa baka desu . . . -.-# ) . . . ANYWAY, danke shoen for the review, shadow-chan! n..n update soon! hope to hear from you again, chica!! :3 doumo! n.n )_

_Kooriya Yui (OMG!! I'VE READ SOO MANY OF YOUR STORIES IT'S FREAKY!!! X.x;;; . . . so you sort of . . . have a reason to hate me .;;;;;; . . . . crud . . . ::runs for her life to escape the other authoress' wrath:: MEEP!!!! DON'T KILL ME, PLEASE!! all your fics are really good! I read them a while ago, when I was in that 'no-reivew' stage . . . T.T;; sigh u.u;; . . . sumimasen . . . ;.; . . . OH!! ::is exited at hearing a word she doesn't know the meaning of!:: what's an 'ellipse'?!?!? TELL ME!!! T.T oh PLEASE, chica!?! . . . u.u;; . . . ::cat smile:: nope, I didn't put what he wrote down on the tree in the chapter . . . ::shrugs carelessly, along with a (slightly) evil smile:: anyway, thanks for reviewing, Yui-san! n..n I was happy to hear from you! n.n doumo arigatou gozaimasu!)_

_maliks-dragon (YAY!! NEW READER!! ::huggles!!: n..n glad to hear from you, chica! ::hands her another plushie, this one a cuddling Kura and Hi-kun:: n..n thanks! . . . ah, yes, and I read your fics 'Sleepy' and 'Young Love' . . . n.n gomen for not reviewing, but my comp. won't let me review the majority of the time, now . . . ::shrugs:: TRUST ME, I tried . . . it jus didn't work ;.; . . . sigh u.u . . . WELL, they were cute stories, chica!! I think I might read some more of your lil one-shots . . . when I get the time, ne? ;3 lol, thanks again for reviewing, Dragon-san! :3 arigatou!)_

_Black Mirror (SWEET! another newbie!! ::beams:: thanks, chica!! glad you reviewed!! n..n lol, am continuing whenever I get time, Mirror-san. :3 but thanks for the nicey-nice comments!! arigatou for those and for reviewing!! n..n)_

Ah, yes, and to those who DIDN'T review, but read . . .

Thanks for reading (but I wish you'd review so I could thank you personally)!

n..n

Arigatou, minna-san!

ES #2 (The Extra Scripts (sorta Oo;;) return!! n.n;;; lol . . . )

Since many people are probably curious about it, this is basically the message that Kurama carved into the tree for Hiei to find . . . ::shrugs:: . . .

(REMEMBER: it would be in JAPANESE CHARACTERS (tried to put them up . . . but fanfiction dot net's uploading thing won't work the characters right . . . T.T;; sigh u.u;; . . . ), NOT ENGLISH, MINNA-SAN!!

. . . n.n;; ah . . . jus wanted to . . . clarify that . . . eheh . . . ( -.-;;;;;; ) . . . )

Gobanme no chiku (fifth district)

Kouen yonbanme no ki (fourth tree in the park)

Kon'ya (tonight)

Kurama

—

::shrugs::

and thanks for the reviews, minna-san!!

hope to hear from you again!

n.n

Peace out!

:3


	10. Waiting

**AU – Tatakoe koukou no shusseki suru: Attending Tatakoe High**

_(alternate universe, shonen ai) Kurama and Hiei are normal humans attending regular, everyday human school. NOT YOUR USUAL SCHOOL 'AU' FIC. This time they DON'T go to the same high school . . . pairings; KurHiei, YusKei, KuwYuk, KoeBot._

Shonen ai (perhaps some yaoi) eventually. n.n;;

BE WARNED if you don't like it, ok, minna-san? n.n

Pairings: Kurama x Hiei, Yuusuke x Keiko, Kuwabara x Yukina, Koenma x Botan

Disclaimer: Kita doesn't own yuyu. So don't you/you sue, onegai. :3

Semi-important notes . . .

1- Yuusuke, Keiko and Kuwabara's school is still Sarayashiki Junior High (Yuusuke, Kuwabara and Keiko are all fourteen).

2- Hiei's school is Tatakoe High (the next step for students in Sarayashiki Junior High).

3- Kurama, Yukina and Botan's school is Meiou High. (Hiei, Kurama, Yukina and Botan are all sixteen).

yay!!

::is all happy again::

n..n

::beams::

::flings Kurama and Hiei plushies out into the crowd of Volpe Di Spirito, Kooriya Yui, Hiei's Gothic Angel, Nite Nite, Queen of the Paperclips, Kitsune Kit, shadow priestess, Sate, Firekitti, PV2 Day, Vampire Ifurita, maliks-dragon, Hiei no Minarai and Vashies-girl . . . ::

lol, now go ahead . . . onto the chappie!!

n.n

:: . . . twirls around in hyper, unrestrained joy as the readers carefully skirt around her aura of insanity in order to continue reading her sad little attempt at a high school fic ( n.n;;; ) . . . ::

eheh!

Thankies are at the end!

n.n;; . . .

(xxxxxxx)

**Saturday morning**

(xxxxxxxxxxxxx)

_. . . beforehand . . ._

(xxxxxxx)

Sighing, the teen closed his jade eyes, finding that the image in his mind's eye had shifted from the dark, red-eyed boy . . . to that of a much kinder and younger visage . . . the person in question being a much older acquaintance than the irritable, spiky-haired youth . . .

A fortunate fact that it was a Friday . . .

The old memories ended up keeping the redhead awake . . .

—for most of the night.

(xxxxxxx)

(xxxxxxx)

Chapter Ten

_Waiting_

(xxxxxxx)

Kurama's brilliantly-jade-colored eyes, still shut peacefully in sleep—abruptly squinted as light suddenly bore down mercilessly on their closed covers . . . a low grumble escaping him, the teen cracked open one sliver of green, accented by dark girlish lashes . . . to see none other than—

—his kaasan.

( . . . at the window)

Shiori had just pulled the blinds back.

(—and that, of course, clearly explained the nearly-painful onslaught of light . . . )

As she turned, the eye closed again, and he heard a soft laugh . . . which was soon followed by a gentle nudge to his shoulder.

"Shu-kun, you can't sleep all day. Time to get up!" she stated in her cheerful, soft tone . . . the kind motherly way that is the most wonderful thing to hear at nine o' clock on a Saturday morning . . . so Kurama responded as respectfully as he could manage, being just woken from a sound sleep . . .

". . . hai . . . 'kaasan . . ." came the half-coherent mumble from the recently hidden face taking refuge in the creamy-soft pillow, the newly-awakened speaker attempting to cling to a few last precious moments of idleness . . .

Shiori chuckled quietly at the sight, and gave her son another playful push, a shade milder, this time . . . though her tender voice now carried a note of finality.

"Half an hour, Shuichi."

. . . again a muffled voice of assent filtered out from the midst of the bed sheets, and, stifling another giggle, the dark-haired woman left the boy's responsible nature to take its course.

**(xxxxxxx)**

The black-haired boy stirred slightly, becoming vaguely conscious of the sunlight spilling in around him . . .

Blinking blearily, Urameshi Yuusuke sat up, stifling a yawn with his right hand as the sunlight peaked through the apartment window . . .

What time was it . . . ?

He flopped over the side of the bed, his unseeing hand searching the flat floor underneath for any sign of—

Aha!!

Sporting a triumphant grin, he pulled the battery-powered clock from its hiding place under the bed (where it had fallen a few days ago) . . .

Dark chocolate eyes widened as he read the neon numbers flashing up at him in a quick rhythm—

". . . . . D—N!!!!!"

KEIKO WAS GOING TO KILL HIM!!!

Now frantic, the teen scurried around his room, pulling loose-fitting pajamas off over his head (the pants following soon after) and not bothering to get in the shower (or even change his underwear from the previous day X.x; ) as he pulled on a pair of blue jeans.

Crap crap crap crap CRAP!!!

Yuusuke skidded into the bathroom after messily pulling on his socks, eyes flitting over the room, searching for his toothbrush . . . then hastily brushing his teeth, speedily swishing the cleansing liquid around and spitting . . . hurriedly wiping his frothy mouth on a semi-dry towel. Still clad in only his jeans and socks (chest bare n.n;;; ) the punk popped his head around the bathroom door, glancing into his room to check the time.

The small object lying discarded face-up on the sleep-rumpled bed sheets sealed his fate then . . . for the dull red digits only continued to blink ruthlessly back at him—

' 12:40 '

SHI—MA—TTA—!!!

He quickly returned to the mirror, applying a liberal amount of grease to his hair, slicking it back . . . but a few strands escaped nonetheless—(to hang rebelliously in the front). He grabbed a shirt from the closet, pulling it on over his head (though making sure to be careful of 'the Hair') . . . and the hurried teen made his way into the hall, yanking the white covering down over his slim chest as he rushed into the kitchen, snatching an already half-eaten bagel from the counter—practically gulping it down in his haste—as he ran out into the hall.

Yuusuke flung the closet door open, sweeping his eyes over the contents, quickly picking out the light teal-colored jacket, and sliding—(or slamming)—it closed once again. He sloppily tied his sneakers, inwardly cursing the 'western influence' that had infected him with the need to conform—if only in shoe-style—the traditional slip-ons were so very much EASIER in situations like these . . .

Finally, everything was tied, and he hurried out the door, taking the descending steps in bounds, nearly falling down the apartment complex's staircase several times, cursing his oversleeping lateness all the way . . .

. . . Keiko's gonna be really ticked . . .

— h—l YES, you COULD say that—!!

**(xxxxxxx)**

A young girl, plain but pretty, with shoulder-length mousey-brown hair and soft milk-chocolate eyes . . . who couldn't have been more than fourteen—

Was currently standing in front of the art museum, her arms hanging stiffly at her sides . . . left hand clutching the handle of her purse aggressively whilst one eye twitched slightly; accenting the irritated vein pulsing on her head.

. . . Yuusuke . . . you . . . BAKA . . .

She glanced down at the watch on her wrist.

' 12:53 '

They'd planned to meet here almost an HOUR ago . . .

Sighing, she let her grip on the purse loosen, and bowed her head, the anger ebbing away to be replaced by another emotion . . . walking away from the would-have-been rendezvous point, her gaze became subdued . . . rubbing nonexistent bits of moisture away from her eyes with the back of her free right hand ( . . . simply for a physical action in this moment of self-doubt . . . ), the slight fingers then fell down to grasp the strap of the purse, as well . . . holding it in an awkward, school-girlish position in front of her, the light bag swinging softly against the front of her knees with each step she took . . .

Keiko's saddened stare was focused on the ground, not noticing the people passing by her, as she continued to walk mechanically down the sparsely-crowded street . . .

—Yuusuke . . .

The girl sighed.

**(xxxxxxx)**

Truly, today was beautiful.

(eh . . . )

After having actually gotten out of bed before nine-thirty, Kurama strolled down the streets, wondering what to do . . . trying to keep his mind away from the memories that had been continuously running through it . . . since . . . last night . . .

. . . Kura-kun, let's play! . . .

(Ah, but it appeared that fate was not his friend today . . . )

_(::memory::)_

_A young boy was running across the sidewalk, laughing as he called to his companion, who was scrambling to keep up with the swift, ebony-haired lad before him._

_"Hurry up, Kura-kun! They'll all be gone by the time we get there, slowpoke!" the youth jeered playfully, turning to look over his shoulder at the one chasing after him, a broad smile on the clear face as green eyes sparkled with naive joy. The red-haired kid laughed in response to his best friend . . ._

_"I'm coming, I'm coming! Matta ge!" But the other shook his head, a mischeivous grin spreading over the eight-year old's face, quickly seeping into the owner's dark eyes._

_"No way—!"_

_(::end memory::)_

A gentle breeze blew, stirring the youth from his inner musings and ruffling the crimson locks. The jade-orbed teen sighed deeply, breathing in the muted scents of the park he found himself at, his eyes slipping closed as he stopped walking, right there . . . in the middle of the sidewalk.

It was so quiet . . . he mused . . . focusing his attention on the rustling of the leaves and scents of many flowers drifting lightly over the air . . .

—and perhaps that's why he heard her.

Not opening his eyes to the outer world, but rather choosing to remain discreet in his eavesdropping, he heard the girl pass by him, soft steps thudding morosely on the paved ground . . . just barely audible over the sounds of the cars and buses that were filtering out from deep within the city surrounding them. Now Kurama opened his eyes, deciding on his intuition, turning his head slightly . . . to watch as the depressed brunette continued to somberly walk away from him . . . immediately, he followed.

His steps were quick and quiet, catching up with the short-haired girl after only a few graceful strides, and feather-lightly touched her on the shoulder. She looked up, hope flying in her eyes, but those shining, expectant brown orbs dimmed when she saw who he was—or perhaps . . . who he WASN'T . . . . . . . . then looking away.

"Sumimasen." Kurama began, and her eyes flickered back to his concerned emerald ones. "It really is none of my business, but . . . if I may ask . . . what's the matter?" A trail of confusion found its way on to her face at his kind, compassionate interest, but she shook her head after a moment—thus breaking off her stare of soft eyes-widened shock, directed at this unexpected newcomer—to look back at the ground to her left.

"Iie . . . nothing's wrong . . . thank you, but I'm . . . fine . . ." she trailed off, her gaze shifting somewhat wistfully over the redhead's right shoulder—then abruptly widening and hurriedly looking away again. Puzzled, the mature teen was about to turn around, but heard a brash, desperate voice call out from behind him . . .

"OI, KEIKO! . . . MATTE!!!" The girl turned sharply, intending to keep walking, but the next moment Shuichi was in front of her, guided by one swift motion . . . and praying his instinct of the situation was hopefully correct, as she looked up in surprise again . . . the redhead smiled, green eyes flickering pointedly over the girl's shoulder to the approaching boy, then back to her, with softly dampened meaning; leaning down to her eye level and murmuring softly so the other lad wouldn't hear.

"I think you should hear him out." At the questioning look in her eyes, he backed off, straightening, and smiled once again; this time reassuringly. "You needn't worry. If he tries anything . . . " The emerald eyes sparked with a silent, respectful oath. A smile, however small, broke out on HER face at the 'threatening' promise, and she nodded, brown eyes retreating to one side of her face, as she looked back without turning around.

". . . hai . . . "

"—Keiko!!" Panting, the boy with greased-back hair finally got to them, leaning forward onto his knees as he caught his breath, and then straightened, eyes flicking to the redhead behind her in confusion for a moment . . . before focusing back on the girl . . . he then proceeded to rub the base of his neck in ashamed embarrassment and awkwardly avoided her eyes.

Oblivious to the careful jade-colored gaze taking in her reaction, the girl stepped forward, raising one hand, carefully . . . to—

"I—I—TTAI!!!"

A large bump sprouted from the black-haired teen's carefully greased hair as he swiftly recovered, yelling at the girl who was OBVIOUSLY an old friend, to have the nerve to do such a thing.

"—OI, Keiko!! What was THAT for?!?!?"

She gave him a cheerful, good-natured smile in response . . . even as the punk-teen continued to glare at her.

"Now we're even, Yuusuke." Keiko looked to the redhead, who was taking in the scene, a bare trace of warm amusement flickering behind a polite smile. Green eyes settled on Keiko as she faced him, bowing slightly. "Arigato gozaimushta." His lips twitched at the corners, but the teen nodded nonetheless, bowing, as well.

"I was glad to help." The boy glanced at his watch, then sighed with a shake of his head, continuing. "Sumanai. It was nice to meet you, but I had best be going."

"Oh . . ." The brunette's smile faltered a bit, and Yuusuke just looked back and forth between them, confusion written all over his face. ". . . bye, then . . . "

The redhead bowed, then walked away from them, somehow keeping a subtle, precise grace in each step . . . he turned at the edge of the block, and noticed that the two were still watching him . . . . smiling slightly—and after acknowledging their gazes with a nod and a wave—he continued around the bend . . .

**(xxxxxxx)**

"What an odd person . . ." Keiko murmured thoughtfully, as the nameless redhead disappeared from their sight . . . ". . . he was so nice . . . I wonder why he didn't stay . . ." Yuusuke, more intelligent than his teachers gave him credit for ( OO;; ), noticed the girl's almost wistful thinking of the attractive, jade-eyed boy . . .

—and was quick to shoot him down.

"Yeah, but what a weirdo! Did you see that long, GIRLY hairsty—ITTAI!!"

Once again his head was target practice for Keiko's well-aimed 'THWACK!!'

"YUUSUKE!" she roared, hands on her hips as light chocolate eyes bore down on the tactless teen on the ground, "I was just saying he's NICE! That doesn't mean I LIKE him, baka!" Cowering in fear of the brunette's fiery glare, the brown-eyed boy caught her last—(almost inaudible)—comment as she let her arms fall, looking away . . . ". . . you don't need to be so jealous . . ."

He sprang up at that, arguing with her face-to-face, now.

"OI OI OI!! I'm not jealous over some red-haired pretty-boy!! You'll always look MUCH better in a skirt than HIM, Keiko!"At this his 'girlfriend' turned an interesting shade of purple and red, alternately.

"Well thanks SO much, Yuusuke!! I'm glad you're so COMMITED!" This, of course, led to a few more lesson-lumps appearing on Yuusuke's poor head, and a few moments later the annoyed spitfire schoolgirl went off in a huff, only whirling back around at the edge of the block to shout one last remark at her half-conscious boyfriend, the purse dangling in the fierce angry deathgrip that was her right fist—

"If you'd shown up ON TIME for once this wouldn't have even HAPPENED!!"

—before stomping away to 'enjoy' the rest of her weekend.

**(xxxxxxx)**

. . . left twitching on the ground, dazed from the assault, a few wavering comments in a shaky tone floated up from the punk's prone body . . .

" . . . na . . . ni . . . ? . . . ( X..x; ) . . . "

**(xxxxxxx)**

erk!

X.x;;;

WAH!! ANOTHER FILLER!!!!

gak!

gomen ne, minna-san, that's jus how it turned out!!

honest!!

T.T;;

if I had MY way, they'd be all together and happy (and tortured at the same time) by now n.n lol . . .

sigh ;.;

sadly, it is not to be . . .

u.u;;

SO; sorry for the fillers, minna . . . it's building, I promise!!

please don't leave from your utter boredom!! T.T

I have a lot of stuff planned out for the future of this fic . . . so no worries about ideas, everyone!

n.n

( err . . . provided . . . you guys are actually the slightest bit INTERESTED in reading what seems to be the product of my habit of writing many ellipses (Yui-chan!! n.n;;) and the ever-irritating, tedious in-depthness . . . Oo;; . . . I won't blame you if you get fed up with waiting, minna. -.-;; . . . heck . . . I'M fed up with it . . . -..-;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; )

eheh, but me (being odd) will continue writing like this for some reason unknown to myself and an inward urge that has basically served as the 'thought process' for this fic . . . eh . . . ::shrugs:: n.n;;;

gomen, minna!

Ja ne!

- Kita-chan n.n;;;;;;;;;;;

PS

_Arigatou gozaimushta . . ._

_Volpe Di Spirito ( n.n yup-pers! lol! Hi-kun's looking for a rematch . . . -.-;; sigh . . . no comment ( -.-;;;;;;;;;; ) ::mumbles:: some people are too smart these days . . . and yes, it is punishment. ::smirks evilly, and holds up a video camera:: jus wait until he gets back to normal . . . you are soo dead, lol!! n.n;; eheh, gomen for the short respone, Volpe-chan X.x;; I barely found enough time to write the CHAPTER, this time around X..x;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; err . . . thanks for reviewing, lol!! n.n;; much hyper thanks (though, sadly, I'm not hyper right NOW T.T;; u.u;; . . . ah, yes . . . also . . . FINISH THAT ONE-SHOT!!! . . . ::coughs:: eh . . . gomen, I'm shutting up now, eheh! n.n;;;; )_

_Kooriya Yui (oh. n.n;; eheh . . . gomen, I probably got you mixed up with this other person (I read a lot of her stories and stuff and now she's all ticked that people won't review, so she's getting all annoyed at her readers about it X..x;;; ) GOMEN!! . . . but yea, I DID read a lot of your stories, anyway . . . (too many to mention right here X..x;;; oro!! X.X; ) eheh, well, thanks soo much for the review, sorry for the lack of hyper-ness . . . and . . . yea . . . n.n;; eheh . . . guess I DO like ellipses, ne? n.n;; errr . . . ARIGATOU GOZAIMUSHTA, Yui-chan! n.n;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; )_

_Hiei's Gothic Angel (yup yup! T.T;;;; sorry for the long wait ( u.u;; ) . . . but HALELUJIAH FOR COLUMBUS DAY WEEKEND (Monday's off from school for me)!!! n..n YAY!! OK!! SHUTTING UP NOW!! lol, thanks for the review . . . I'm drawing a creative blank after all that writing, now!! T.T;;; (sigh u.u;; ) . . . well . . . thanks again, Angel-chan! n..n )_

_Nite Nite (yup!! n..n fun story, very original . . . lol, liked your review . . . gomen for the short-ness but I wanna post!!! T.T;; . . . sigh u.u;; . . . lol!!! n.n;; ::swings the key in front of Hiei's annoyed face (his eye's twitching) . . . giggles:: n.n;; see? Kura's a very good person to be handcuffed to (well . . . either him or Yukina, lol n.n;; ), 'cause Hiei won't attack as long as you can hide behind the youko . . . that is . . . unless he melts the chain connecting the two cuffs . . . OO;; SHI-MA-TTA!! RUN WHILE YOU CAN, NITE-CHAN!! . . . and thanks for reviewing again!! n..n lol, arigatou!!)_

_Queen of the Paperclips (1st: sweet, glad you liked Hiei's retaliation to Ryujin's evil action!! n.n never had the experience, so it was kinda odd to write X.x;; . . . 2nd: ::laughs:: well, we'll see if he gets those bits of wood out, ne? n.n; . . . 3rd: -.-;; INARI!! people are too smart these days T.T;; . . . or maybe I jus can't write mystery ;.; . . . u.u;; sigh . . . 4th: of course! n.n Hiei and his katana go together like Youko and Kuronue . . . . . . oh. ( Oo;; ) ::coughs:: ah, did I divulge that aloud? n.n;; eh . . . ok, I'd better shut up before I ruin any future semblance of a plot that may be forming in my half-decapitated mind . . . did that make sense? NOPE!! (at least I don't THINK it did Oo;;) . . . __lol, but thanks for the review!! . . . and I can always make up a character and have them save me from the bloodthirsty mob of readers . . . who actually might be bloodthirsty now, since I'm updating two days later that usual X.x;; . . . shimaaaaatta . . . X.x;; I'll be leaving now, and yea, funny quote, too! n.n;; lol, it actually took me a while to 'get' it, eheh. n.n;; . . . -.-;; kami, I think I'm losing more of my scant intelligence every day T.T;; . . . sigh u.u;; . . . WELL, thankies again, Paperclip-chan! n..n doumo!"_

_Kitsune Kit (-.-;; ::scolds:: evil images are BAD, Kit-chan!! DESTROY THE EVIL IMAGES!! ::whips out a flamthrower:: ANY QUESTIONS!?!?!? . . . ::biiiig, insane smile on her face:: . . . OKAY, THEN . . . moving onward from the psyche ward ( -.-;; ) . . . AH!! X.x;; THIRD PERSON TO GUESS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE PLOT!! X..x;;;;;;;;; noooooooooooo!! I've become PREDICATABLE!!! AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! ::faints, mumbling in her sleep:: noo....oo...o...o... . . . lol, but thasnks for the funny review, Kit-chan!! n.n arigatou!_

_shadow priestess (yea . . . n.n;; gomen about that u.u;; . . . honestly, I do TRY to review, but it won't . . . I know that sounds like a load of bull, but . . . ::shrugs:: . . . believe what you want . . . ANYWAY; lol, yea. n.n;; poor Hiei . . .he's jus MEANT to be tortured in any medium, ne? n.n;; eheh . . . AH YES!!! n..n as for Yuu Watase . . . I remembered her name 'cause I've read Fuushigi Yuji!!! n..n lol, I had trouble 'cause I was borrowing it from this friend up mine, and read up to manga eight . . . but then she stopped lending them to me!! T.T;; ( . . . this was about a year ago that I stopped reading it . . . ) and SO, lucky me, in my Japanese class, one of the girls brought number nine in and I've gotten back into it!! n..n YAY!!! . . . so, in short, I remembered her name from your review, and realized . . . stuff. X.x;; yea, lost my thought half-way through that, but . . . err . . . gomen for another fillie chapie ;.; . . . and lol, yea. shonen manga is so much better than shojo . . . eheh . . . ::glances back to her bookshelf consisting mainly of Rurouni Kenshin, InuYasha, Yuu Yuu Hakusho and Lodoss Wars: Deedlit's Tale) . . . and THANKS FOR REVIEWING, shadow-chan!! n.n danke shoen!!)_

_Sate (AH!! it's okay!! n.n;; lol . . . YAY!! thankies!!! n..n lol, now there's now pressure to continue the intense in-character-ness, ne? n.n;;; lol . . . but HUGGLES!! n..n your review made me feel all special and semi-talented!! n..n eheh, I think you might like the ending, though . . . ::winks:: . . . lol, thanks again, Sate-chan! :3 )_

_Firekitti (::tentatively tries a lollie:: OO;; eheh . . . lemon-flavored n.n;; . . . ::sighs, shaking her head:: you didn't read my author's notes at the end, did you, Fire-chan? ::shakes head again:: I'm not even going to answer your question as to what Kura wrote on the tree . . . because I put that in an Extra Script at the very end of chapter nine . . . tsk tsk tsk . . . truly, I did appreciate your taking the time to review, but next time please read the entire chapter, I put little things in sometimes, ya know! n..n :;peace sign!:: not trying to be mean here, chica!! really liked your nicey-nice comments, Fire-chan! n..n doumo arigatou gozaimushta! (lol, talk about split personalities, ne? n.n;; eheh . . . ) )_

_PV2 Day (oh!! poor hand!! hope it's better by now!! T.T . . . yea, me being an idiot and all, I fell running up the hill to my bus stop -.-;; . . . ouch . . . men ::shrugs:: nothing but a lot of scrapes, but it was SO much fun and all ( -.-;;;; ) . . . ah, cool!! n..n glad you liked the bit with the sword . . . ::is beaming, but shrugs:: 'jus sorta fit', ne? n..n but thankies!! n..n ah . . . yes, I do a lot of 'improvising' (I guess you would call it?) when I write, eheh. n.n;; sorta sad and pathetic, I know ( -.-;; ) but ANYWAY . . . meh!! rambles are cool, chica!! n..n lol, I mean, look at me!! I write a five-page chapter and then do about five more pages of reviews, lol!! n.n;; (that's actually true, lol n.n;; . . . eh . . . .;;; ) . . . but thankies for reviewing, even though your hand hurt, Day-san!! n..n ::hands her an ice pack and a heating pad:: arigatou gozaimushta!)_

_Vampire Ifurita (n..n of course!! good fics you got, chica!! thanks for the review! sorry for the shortness, but that means I put the chapter up faster, lol!! n.n;; eheh . . . doumo arigatou, Ita-chan! . . . ah, yes! I've also been reading your fic 'Caged' . . . and let me jus say . . . SWEET, girl!!_

_n..n AWESOME!! CONTINUE ASAP!! . . . n.n;; lol, and now I bid you farewell ::bows:: n.n;;; lol . . . )_

_maliks-dragon (eh . . . I stopped because I have school (basically . . . ). n.n;; yea . . . of course Hiei wouldn't kill Ryujin, Dragon-chan . . . ::shifty eyes:: . . . eheh m.m; I was sorta planning that in the beginning stages, but I changed my mind ::shrugs:: so no worries about THAT, chica!! . . . and thanks for reviewing!! n..n doumo arigatou gozaimushta!!! :3 )_

_Hiei no Minarai (::blinks:: thank you!! n..n aw, your favorites list?! ::beams:: THANKS!! arigatou!! n.n . . . lol . . .ah, now I must look up the Japanese words . . . ( -.-;; sigh ) . . . WAH!! X.x;; err . . . something about your Japanese language class? X.x;; ORO!! X.X I dunno!! T.T;; . . . well . . . ( -.-;;; ) . . . gomen for this chappie, I thought it was awful . . . grr . . . always think that my next chap won't be as good as the one before it . . . ack . . . it's a vicious cycle, that's somehow almost broken by the nice review I get after each 'iffy' chapter I post T.T;; sigh u.u;; . . . WELL, don't mind my rambling, please ( n.n;;) and arigatou, Minarai-san! n..n thanks!)_

_Vashies-girl (YAY!! hey, I think I've read some of your stuff . . . I remember typing in your name 'Vashies-san' in a review once n..n sweet! thanks so much!! :3 it's fun when I'm said to supposedly be a tiny, miniscule bit original, lol . . . yay!! n..n hope this chapter lived up to the previous ones, 'cause I don't think it QUIET did T.T;; sigh u.u;; . . .WELL, thankies so much for the review, Vashies-chan!! n..n doumo!)_

WHEW!!

HONESTLY, do you guys TRY to give me finger cramps?!?!?

T.T;;

::cracks fingers::

. . . so . . . stiff . . .

yea, I typed this up at two in the morning, minna-san!!

so please review onegai!

n.n

. . . ah, yes, and the reason I was late is because I had no time . . .

( . . . and my parents are sorta . . . ::coughs:: . . . basically the whole thing is apparently rearing it's ugly head again ( -.-;; ) because some people think I have 'repressed anger issues' and are concerned because I'm not doing as well in school and such . . . ::shrugs:: . . . maybe I do, maybe I don't (it's still the beginning of the year; and I think I've jus gotten lazy . . .) but you don't REALLY care, now do you, minna? n.n;; LOL, gomen nasai!! I'll shut up with my personal life, now -.-;; . . . u.u;; . . .)

hey, I said I'd TRY to update about every week, didn't I, minna?

u.u;; eh . . . gomen . . . I'm tired . . . (::yawns::) . . .

(. . . though that's still no excuse to take the pre-sleep crankiness out on you guys!!)

lol!!

n.n;;

eh . . . please forgive, and ja ne, everyone!

:3

Peace out!


	11. Training

**AU – Tatakoe koukou no shusseki suru: Attending Tatakoe High**

_(alternate universe, shonen ai) Kurama and Hiei are normal humans attending regular, everyday human school. NOT YOUR USUAL SCHOOL 'AU' FIC. This time they DON'T go to the same high school . . . pairings; KurHiei, YusKei, KuwYuk, KoeBot._

Shonen ai (perhaps some yaoi) eventually. n.n;;

BE WARNED if you don't like it, ok, minna-san? n.n

Pairings: Kurama x Hiei, Yuusuke x Keiko, Kuwabara x Yukina, Koenma x Botan

Disclaimer: Kita doesn't own yuyu. So don't you/you sue, onegai. :3

Semi-important notes . . .

1- Yuusuke, Keiko and Kuwabara's school is still Sarayashiki Junior High (Yuusuke, Kuwabara and Keiko are all fourteen).

2- Hiei's school is Tatakoe High (the next step for students in Sarayashiki Junior High).

3- Kurama, Yukina and Botan's school is Meiou High. (Hiei, Kurama, Yukina and Botan are all sixteen).

hello!!

n.n

::is all psyched (and happy), because she wrote a seven-page long chappie this time and got over 100 reviews for once!!!!!! n.n ::

ANYWAY, minna, as an apology for the last two fillies ( u.u;; sigh . . . ) I decided to make this chapter two pages longer, and we see some of the 'main characters' at the end!!!

n.n

SUGOI!!!

::flings Kurama and Hiei shonen ai (sticker, not pin-type -.-;; ) buttons out to the crowd buried under the pile of plushies accumulated from the last two chapters . . . namely consisting of Queen of the Paperclips, Volpe Di Spirito, What2callmyself, shadow priestess, Kitsune Kit, Fire chibi, Nite Nite, Kooriya Yui, Vampire Ifurita, PV2 Day, Squal D. Zolo, and Sate::

n.n

now on to the story!!

::grabs a reviewer from chapter ten and flings her into the never-ending void of plushie-ness::

IF YOU DON'T LIKE MY REVIEW RESPONSES THEN DON'T READ 'EM, CHICA!!

n..n

lol, PEACE and gomen nasai, everyone!!

(eheh, please go and read now before you all start to hate me and my procrastinating laziness T.T;;; )

u.u;; sigh . . .

n.n!

(xxxxxxx)

**Saturday morning**

(xxxxxxxxxxxxx)

_. . . beforehand . . ._

(xxxxxxx)

The redhead bowed, then walked away from them, somehow keeping a subtle, precise grace in each step . . . he turned at the edge of the block, where the two were still watching him and smiled slightly, waving discreetly to them as he then proceeded to continue around the bend . . .

(xxxxxxx)

(xxxxxxx)

Chapter Eleven

_Training_

(xxxxxxx)

**Saturday, late afternoon**

(xxxxxxxxxxxxx)

Skidding to a halt—(backwards)—but keeping his feet, Shuichi managed to correctly judge and reestablish his balance, lifting his eyes to face the elderly woman across from him . . . her grey-rose hair, an originally soft-pink that had been dulled with age, was pulled back in a tight bun as meticulous as the dark brown eyes that took in every flaw of his stance.

"Your left flank is open. Concentrate on your opponent, but careful of your feet." She offered in an undertone, quietly, and Kurama nodded, showing subservience to the elder, and proceeded to shift his stance slightly.

"Hai, sensei." Then, all at once, the aged master flew at him, and he gasped inwardly, green eyes widening just the slightest bit, as he brought his arms up in quick succession, seeking

to block all the blows that he could . . .

Minutes passed . . . and he escaped . . . ( . . . most of them . . . )

—but, as always, one inevitably hit . . .

When he felt her fist solidly connect with his gut, he mentally cursed himself for his clumsiness, even as he flew rapidly through the air to finally land flat on his back, slightly winded from the force of hitting the dojo's hardwood floor.

Sprawled out like a freshly caught fish, the redhead stared up at the ceiling . . . before sighing softly and hoisting himself up to a sitting position, knowing he had looked anything BUT the graceful creature who had defeated that feisty dark teen . . . only last night . . .

Mnhmm—

"Oi! Minamino!" Green eyes returned abruptly to his teacher, a kind lady in her mid-seventies, who still managed to keep a certain elegant beauty around her . . . her looks were slender and face retaining some of the lost beauty of youth . . . any further musing was cut short by the next comment from his usually patient teacher.

"Since you're clearly distracted; perhaps I should get imouto to help. " The woman cocked one thin eyebrow when the green orbs widened, but continued regardless. "She's very good with discipline, as you know, Minamino." . . . even though Kurama recognized the threat as a long-standing joke, he still—(and very swiftly)—stood . . . immediately readied for another lesson from the older Momoiro sister.

"Iie, iie, Sakuha-sensei . . . sumanai. Please continue?" She shook her head with a sigh of her own, and spoke in her naturally soft and refined voice.

"Minamino, your good manners will get you into a spot of trouble someday." Brown eyes opened to gaze piercingly up at him from her short stature, and Kurama respectively nodded his head, knowing what she was alluding to . . . briefly recalling the first time she had opened up to him—as his eyes rose to study the aged details of his sensei's face before him—concerning the grey-and-rose-haired women's past . . . living with her younger sister's complex and yet blunt nature—

Kurama continued to stare thoughtfully at the elderly woman, as she walked, upright and graceful even in her old age, over to the side . . . then sitting down, cross-legged in the fighting tunic she wore, that mirrored Kurama's own . . . the teen's eyes flicked over to the clock mounted on the wall, and the usually-smiling visage creased into a slight frown. Sakuha nodded, opening her eyes and looking up from her leisurely spot on the floor, arms neatly folded in front of her, to nod her head slightly to him.

"Today's lesson is over. I will see you on Wednesday, Minamino-san." The redhead bowed hurriedly, much lower than his respected teacher had.

"Hai. Doumo arigato gozaimushta; Sakuha-sensei." As he straightened, he noticed a small twitch of her lips, before it quickly retreated . . . and she shook her head, closing her eyes and waving him off as he turned to the door, making to leave the room.

"Sayounara, Minamino-kun."

"Sayounara, sensei . . ."

**(xxxxxxx)**

Dead tired, Shuichi was vaguely aware of the city around him, as he made his way home, his training clothes stowed neatly in the cloth khaki sack slung over his arm . . .

. . . who is he . . . he found himself wondering absently, as those deep green eyes surveyed the skies with traces of both curiosity, puzzlement . . . ( . . . and weariness . . . ) . . .

His name . . .

Why . . . ?

Where these questions were coming from . . . he wasn't quite sure . . . but . . . if there was one truth he knew, one rock-solid answer, it was—

That he was tired.

( . . . far too tired to think clearly . . . )

. . . oh, how he loathed the long walk back to his home right now, in his current state of dull exhaustion . . .

It had been as such since as far back as he could remember . . . every Saturday and Wednesday afternoon (from one to three and three to five) . . . martial arts with Sakuha-sensei ( . . . though today she had seemed PARTICULARLY merciless . . . ).

Still only half-awake, the redhead trudged through the streets back to his home in an almost trance-like daze . . . not realizing he was recalling a moment far away until the person in his mind was then identified as long gone . . .

_(::memory::)_

_"I'm coming, I'm coming! Wait up, will you!" The other lad shook his head, a mischievous grin spreading over the eight-year old's face._

_"No way, Kura! You've got to get faster, slowpoke! Even my Kaasan could beat you!" Kurama, slightly ruffled by the insult, slapped his feet harder on the cement, racing to catch up with his best friend . . . soon they were running neck and neck, the playful run becoming a competitive race . . ._

_"—you—can't—beat—me—Kura—" the lanky, ebony-haired boy managed to gasp out, struggling to keep pace with the redhead he had previously thought was so slow . . ._

_"—we'll—see—about—that—" the green-orbed kid panted back, feeling his body already_ _straining to give under the unexpected sprint . . . not completely taking into regard where they were headed, the two boys sped across the paths, quickly traveling from the sleepy suburbs where they lived to the busier streets of town . . ._

_"—you—aren't—this—fast—" the boy with dark indigo eyes commented doubtfully, with no small amount of confusion . . . when had he . . . ?_

_"—RIGHT—" the redhead replied with a hint of good-natured irony in his tone, but trying to focus mostly on speed . . . even as he felt himself slipping behind . . ._

_Eventually the two boys emerged into an irrigation ditch, made to keep any flood waters from drowning the city . . . carved out of cement and a small trickle of a river at the bottom, signifying its use . . ._

_Collapsing on his back onto the hard, cracked tiles, arms and legs spread out as he gasped without restraint, short red hair a slight cushion against the cool, flat cement and slate, Kurama sucked in lungful after lungful of air, eyes closed as he continued to breathe hard . . . his slightly taller friend was bent over, hands on his knees, a little ways ahead, and working on bringing more blessed oxygen into HIS lungs, as well._

_Finally, the redhead rose, pushing himself up on his elbows, looking and finding his friend sitting, slightly elevated, on top of a trash can directly to his right. The darker boy cocked a half-smirk, tilting his head to the side to match the smug emotion reflecting in those dark orbs._

_"That was a good race, Kura. You almost got me that time." The redhead dead-panned . . . resulting in a self-satisfied chuckle from the other . . . before putting his hands behind his head in blatant disregard of the mockery, closing his eyes, and lying back once again. . . the sun-warmed cement gave off a pleasant hum beneath the bare skin of his legs and arms . . . as the light quality of the dark boy's—(though a bit condescending)—laughter that played softly through the air . . ._

_(::end memory::)_

The redhead sighed again . . . as was apparently his habit whenever he thought of those old times . . . and old friends . . .

**(xxxxxxx)**

Barely conscious, the teen stumbled into his home, slipping off his shoes wearily, and dragging the bag by its thick rope-cord along the polished wood floor . . . drearily ascending the stairs to his room, Kurama slid open his door, dropping the troublesome khaki sack on the floor and stumbling over to his bed, falling gratefully forward onto the familiar sheets, legs and arms spread out, taking up nearly the entire bed, though he was lying somewhat diagonally . . .

Briefly, as his mind slipped away, his eyes not able to keep from drifting shut, Shuichi was VERY thankful for the soft, comfortable western mattress . . .

—though . . . he wondered momentarily, just before giving way to the darkness . . .

. . . why did kaasan insist on getting a bed this large . . . ?

—even as a teen, he wasn't like that . . .

Then, all conscious thought faded, and he sighed as he felt himself give way to his exhaustion, burrowing further into the clean covers beneath him . . .

**(xxxxxxx)**

Shiori was late arriving home that night.

' 7: 41 ' ( . . . if you wished to be precise . . . )

Positively beaming, the middle-aged woman inserted the key into the lock, turned it, then walked into her home and left her shoes at the door, as always; mentally noting that her son's lay there, as well . . . cocking an eyebrow at the oddly messy way he had left them, she good-naturedly lined them up neatly with her own, then stood and called out to the silent house.

"Shu-kun! Tadaima!"

Upon receiving no answer . . . the woman shook her head, deciding to check his room . . . he was likely reading, and hadn't heard her . . . a soft smile crossed her lips at the thought of her son 'expanding his mind', unlike so many other teens who made poor decisions . . .

_Oh! . . . but they were to be pitied!_ she chided herself . . . _who was she to judge them? . . . most likely their parents hadn't been responsible . . . it was no fault of the child's . . ._ she assured herself . . . smile once again in place, she padded softly up the stairs, one hand resting lightly on the rail . . . but her mind returned, for some reason, to this . . .

_Shu-kun . . . he would make the right choice . . ._ finally reaching the top, and opening his door a crack—(with both hands on the edge of the smooth wood)—the already-warm smile grew to include quiet contentment at the sight of her mature, teen-aged son spread out on the mattress . . .

_. . . he looks like he did back then . . . . . . . when he's asleep . . ._ shaking her head, and closing the door quietly, Shiori quietly descended the stairs, intending to start baking, reassuring herself with one final, firm notion before beginning to take out the ingredients for a simple meal.

_When it happens to him . . . I'm sure he'll pick someone just as kind and polite as he is . . ._

She understood her son, perhaps better than he knew, as she began to make dinner . . .

_. . . how would it work any other way?_

**(xxxxxxx)**

Concealed in the tree . . . the same tree that that redhead had stood underneath only last night . . . his back curled against the trunk, though his posture appeared unnaturally straight, right leg laid out on the sturdy branch, while the other was bent, his left forearm tensely resting on the corresponding knee.

_D—n him . . ._

Turning his thoughts around in justified annoyance—

He'd been sitting here for . . . rummaging around in his cloak, the dark, wiry-built teen brought the silvery object forth from some unnoticed pocket, narrowing his eyes at the silent answer . . .

' 9:03 '

. . . three hours.

Hn.

He stuffed the item back into the invisible spot it had come from . . . upon shifting, he felt the hard, thin line of the sword's hidden sheath press against him from behind . . . ch . . . the red orbs glinted darkly . . .

It was all pointless if you didn't keep to the rules, baka . . .

**(xxxxxxx)**

Kurama stirred slowly, squinting his eyes as they gradually began to open, blinking and taking in the dark, blurry yet familiar, space that was his room . . .

. . . wait . . . . . DARK?!?

Sitting up . . . but regretting it a moment later when he was dizzy from the motion, the teen put a hand to his forehead until all faintness receded . . . hurriedly glancing to his clock on the wall, the redhead's eyes widened.

A—no . . .

' 9:56 ' . . .

Ah . . .

. . . a six-hour nap . . . that's never . . . good . . .

Taking a moment to calm himself, by closing his deep emeralds and inhaling deeply . . .

Kurama THEN proceeded to panic.

(—which, of course—(considering him)—was still relatively calm . . . ( -.-; ) )

Quickly making his way down the stairs, and passing briefly through the immaculate kitchen, he noticed a small note on the round, wooden table in the center . . . obviously from his mother.

Reading it quickly, not bothering to pick it up, but scanning down the characters . . . it seemed dinner had been made, was in the refrigerator, and could be reheated . . .

How interesting . . . he'd have to thank her in the morning . . .

But as for now, he was rather late—!

Walking briskly into the hall, and swiftly donning his shoes, Kurama left the house . . . locking the door on his way out.

With a final glance back, the wind brushing some strands of crimson fire away from his face, he briefly regretted not telling Shiori he was leaving for the moment . . . but knew that she was likely asleep by now . . . (—by ten her light was usually off—) . . .

Facing the street again, the twin jades were caught by the moonlight, tainting them a more shadowed and intimidating shade than their usual bright sparkle . . .

. . . then he was running . . . taking fast, elegant strides in a consistently hurried rhythm . . . barely touching the ground . . . the only hint of his passage being a rapid stream of quiet 'tap's . . . and the white tee shirt, fabric flowing out behind him along with the graceful billowing of his thick, fiery mane . . . the thin but muscular arms shifting in correspondence with the continuous motion of his lower body . . .

—as he raced off into the night.

**(xxxxxxx)**

Truth be told, he actually made it to the park in a very short amount of time.

Well . . . considering . . . that he had LIVED in this suburban district for most of his life, and therefore knew—(even in the dark)—that the park was only a few blocks away . . .

Panting a bit under his breath, his fit form able to hide its need for oxygen rather well, Kurama's green eyes swept over the well-kept lawns . . .

Coming to a halt under one thick evergreen, the boy leaned against the trunk, lifting his left wrist up, parallel to his face, to check his watch . . . and the light from the street caught it, glinting over the glass surface . . .

' 10:14 '

ah . . . well . . .

At least he didn't seem to be here yet . . .

With a sigh, the redhead leaned against the sturdy bark, closing those deep emerald orbs and tilting his head back . . . taking a deep breath, he found himself inhaling the sweet, dewy scents of the nature surrounding him . . . and the pleasant aroma that signified nightfall . . . a smile crept onto his face . . .

How peaceful . . .

**(xxxxxxx)**

As for 'him', he wasn't quite sure what to make of it . . .

When the redhead had first appeared at the entrance to the garden, he'd tensed, ready for any movement, expecting those crisp, sharp eyes to catch his hidden form in a moment . . . but then . . .

( . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . what was he doing? )

Intense garnet orbs, the curious question shaded by his usual glare, took in the tranquil face below him . . .

A soft smile was on the taller teen's face, obviously unaware of the 'spy' in the tree above . . .

Wicked intent crossed onto his face, as he continued to gaze down at the oblivious teen.

_Hn._

**(xxxxxxx)**

Green eyes snapped open at the almost inaudible sound of rustling fabric, naturally—(from their previous position)—staring right up into the leaves . . .

Where two malicious red orbs glinted back at him.

His eyes widened for an instant in realization, and Kurama swiftly pushed himself away from the trunk of the tree, then hearing the swift, light 'thump' of someone landing deftly on the soft ground but a few instants later . . . as he somehow remained on his feet, stopping a meter or so away on the moistened grass. As he turned, the crimson locks settled lazily behind him, and he took in the teen kneeling on the grass, clad in what could barely be seen by the dim light of the street lamp . . .

The left knee was bent . . . whilst the other rested on the ground, on the side facing the tree . . . the dark head was bowed, face completely hidden by shadows and night . . . and . . . clutched with both hands, the edge of the hilt level with his face . . .

Was a katana.

**(xxxxxxx)**

;3

MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!

extra-long chappie!!

feel special!!

n.n

( . . . even if it DID have a large mixture of filler and ended in a cliffhanger Oo;;;)

lol, sugoi!!!

n..n

FINALLY!!!

but I don't think there will be any more fillers for a while, minna-san!!

n..n

soon my sad semblance of a plot will reveal itself!!

until next time, minna-san!!

hoped you liked the extra-long chappie-Kurama-and-Hiei-ness!!

n.n

Jaa!

- Kita-chan ( n.n;; )

PS

_Arigatou gozaimushta . . ._

_Queen of the Paperclips (HUGGLES!!!!! n..n YOUR WELCOME (for the plushies . . . ) and __THANK YOU!! lol, yea, Youko IS kinda tall and Hi-kun's . . . short. X.x;; no getting around it, Paperclip-chan! n.n;; eheh . . . . . . . shimatta, I think he heard that . . . (::Hiei, in the distance:: __NOW YOU DIE, ONNA!!!) n.n;; aw, crud . . . WELL, liked your review, and nope, you didn't hurt my feelings (::peace sign! n.n ::) . . . lol, liked the Einstein quote . . . eheh . . . n.n;;;; too true, too true . . . ::shrugs:: gomen, I'm actually kinda sane today ::audible gasp from everyone present -.-;;; :: so I can't go all insane and hyper on you . . . -.-;; sigh . . . ANYWAY, thanks for the review, and I appreciated your honesty!! n.n it's good to get criticism . . . otherwise I may become very arrogant and egotistical thus end up being intensely aggravating X.x;; . . . LOL!!! n.n;;; so thanks, Paperclip-chan!! arigatou!! :3 )_

_Volpe Di Spirito (::smirks:: sure, sure, he won't want you dead, Volpe-chan . . . now what did you want carve don your tombstone? Kurama and Hiei forever? ok, got it . . . ah, yes, and about your will . . . CAN I HAVE YOUR PLUSHIES?!?!? TT.TT I have none u.u;; . . . never actually even SEEN one (in real life), eheh!!!! n.n;; lol, I'm so pathetic -.-;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; . . . n.n!! so ANYWAY, hurry up with that one-shot!! :3 good luck, Volpe-chan!! I'll be watching for an update from you!! . . . and thanks for the review, chica!!! n.n doumo!)_

_What2callmyself (OH!! ;.; . . . lol, yea, Kuwa IS sorta . . . gone. n.n;; LOL, I didn't even realize I was doing that until you pointed it out, eheh!!! n.n;; . . . it's not purposeful . . . u.u;; (seriously, it's not, which is the aggravating part for ME . . . -.-;; grr . . . need to include ALL the characters . . . Botan hasn't even shown her face since chapter three . . . X.x!!! ACK!!!!!!!!! .;; . . . BUT in any case, thanks for the review! I know the last chappie wasn't the best (u.u;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;) but I appreciate your commenting on it all the same!! n.n doumo arigatou gozaimasu, What2-chan!! thanks! :3 )_

_shadow priestess (::bounces up and down as well:: REALLY?!?! SWEET!! 1,000 reivew, chica! coolness . . . n.n! . . . ::nods:: yup yup, filler, sadly u.u;; . . . BUT HOPEFULLY NO MORE!! PERHAPS THIS STORY IS CURED!!! . . . ::crickets chirp:: . . . -.-;;; or maybe not T.T;; . . . LOL, well glad you gave me a comment, anyway! next chappie we get another fight scene! (but no more beatings Oo;; . . . ERG!! NOR FOR ME, EITHER (in 'Mobius'), KUDASAI!!! X..x;;;;;;;;;;) ::cheers:: YAY!!!!! . . . lol, wieder danke schoen, shadow-chan! n.n;; arigatou gozaimushta . . . n.n;;;; )_

_Kitsune Kit (NO!! ::whacks her on the head:: YOU CAN'T LIKE THE BAD THOUGHTS!! THEY'RE—(dramatic pause)—BAD!!!!!!!! . . . -.-;; ok, that was pointless ( n.n;;; ) . . . BUT I'm moving on, lol n.n;;;;; . . . ::pats her on the head:: all things will come in due time, Kit-chan n.n;; lol . . . if I have the patience to write it like this, you must find the strength within yourself to endure it, grasshopper . . . ::gong sounds, and she bows:: . . . n.n;; . . . LOL!! well, arigatou for the comments, Kit-chan!! thanks! :3 )_

_Fire chibi (eheh . . . ok, this is asking for a flame, ne? -.-;; sigh . . . BUT anyway, you sorta hurt my feelings when you said that thing about my author's notes . . . ::shrugs:: I appreciated your nice lil compliments, though. :3 honestly, I truly don't mean to offend, but . . . ::shrugs again:: if you don't like the review responses, you don't have to read 'em, Chibi-san!! n.n sumanai for MY comments, now, but I jus wanted to tell you where I stood . . . lol, ok, I'm done being 'deep' -.-;; . . . eheh, arigatou for reviewing, Fire chibi!)_

_Nite Nite (OO; . . . . . ::snaps fingers, and ice cream appears, successfully diverting Hiei's attention from Nite-chan . . . ::Hiei:: SWEET SNOW!!! ::races and embraces it, then begins to attack the carton, whilst Kurama is just standing there, gaping . . . Kita smiles evilly, the produces a net and throws it over the kitsune, running off into the distance as the hikoorime continues to devour his frozen snack n.n;;;; :: LOL!! see, you're not dead!! . . . jus alone with Hiei . . . ah . . . __you might want to get out of there before Hiei's sweet snow is gone Oo;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; . . . LOL!!! and thanks for the random review, Nite-chan!! n..n ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU!!!! :3 )_

_Kooriya Yui (meh . . . masochism is in the eye of the one being beaten . . . Oo;; . . . err . . . thanks for the review. (n.n;;;; LOL!! DOUMO ARIGATOU, Yui-chan!! hope this chappie was slight better u.u;;; . . . ) )_

_Vampire Ifurita (oooooh!! NEW WORD!!! 'shruggles'!!! n.n I'm adding that to my dictionary, along with 'muggles', 'huggles', 'okidoken', and other random various words I've found along the way . . . and don't worry TOO much!! n.n Kurama and Hiei stuff is coming up in the next chapter!! arigatou for reviewing, Ita-chan ('cause that chapter wasn't all that great u.u;;;;) THANKS!! :3 . . . and continue with 'Caged' . . . maybe I'll check up on it before I post this chappie ::winks:: lol n.n;; . . . )_

_PV2 Day (YAY!! eheh, now I've got TWO people who have opposite views on my lil (incredibly long -.-;;) review responses!! n.n;; LOL!!! . . . ohh!! ::huggles!!:: sorry you had to go through that for high school u.u;; . . . glad it all worked out for you, though! n.n sweet-ness!! . . . heh, glad you 'smiled' at this chapter, 'cause a lot of people didn't like it too much . . . ::shrugs:: . . . meh. it's good to get criticism once in a while, you know? B-) . . . lol, copying your lil cool smiley and all, but . . . ::shrugs again:: if you don't like it you can admit me to the nearest insane asylym . . . though I can't guarantee that I'll update from in there!! ::snickers evilly . . . and is then hit over the head with Hiei's katana . . . :: X.X;;; oro . . . gomen . . . x.x;;;; . . . eheh, but thanks for the review!! n.n I always like getting comments from you, 'cause you're older and still interested in anime!! ::shrugs for the third time in this response:: . . . gotta love how anime brings people of different ages together, ne, chica? n.n lol, but arigatou gozaimushta, Day-san!! thankies!! :3 (ah, yes, and I did get your e-mail . . . will respond to it when I get time . . . what with school, life and writing; you know how it can get -.-;;;; sigh . . . ) )_

_Squal D. Zolo (Inari!! THANK YOU!!! n.n;; lol, I liked your exclamation points . . . enthusiasm is always good, ne? n.n;; eheh . . . so THANKIES!!! eheh, lucky for you I ended up posting a new chappie the day after you reivewed, ne? n.n;; lucky, lucky . . . lol, well, thanks for the review, Zolo-san!! n.n arigatou!)_

_Sate (ACK!! it's ok!!! n.n;; as long as you're reading, it's cool, Sate-chan. n..n and thanks for finding the time to send me a lil comment, anyway! (but don't get kicked off the comp. 'cause of reading!! n.n;; eh, don't worry about it too much, now that I know the VERY VALID AND UNDERSTANDABLE reason . . . ::shrugs:: n.n;;;;;;) THANKIES, chica!! n..n )_

WHEW!!!

::drops off her chair in a dead faint::

ok, now I can post . . . ugh . . . my hands . . . so cold . . .

Put this way; I live in Pennsylvania, where it is very cold this time of year.

The window next to my computer is drafty.

It also rained today.

:: . . . shiver . . . ::

( and although there is a heating vent right UNDER the window, it doesn't work ( -.-;;;;; ) . . . )

grrr . . . but I'll shut up now, minna-san!!

n.n;;

eheh . . . and ah, yes!!

n.n

thanks for the mixed reviews!!

lol, I'm glad you guys were honest with me about what you thought of the last chapter!!

n..n

arigatou gozaimushta, everyone!!

:3

Peace out!


	12. Unknown

**AU – Tatakoe koukou no shusseki suru: Attending Tatakoe High**

_(alternate universe, shonen ai) Kurama and Hiei are normal humans attending regular, everyday human school. NOT YOUR USUAL SCHOOL 'AU' FIC. This time they DON'T go to the same high school . . . pairings; KurHiei, YusKei, KuwYuk, KoeBot._

Shonen ai (perhaps some yaoi) eventually. n.n;;

BE WARNED if you don't like it, ok, minna-san? n.n

Pairings: Kurama x Hiei, Yuusuke x Keiko, Kuwabara x Yukina, Koenma x Botan

Disclaimer: Kita doesn't own yuyu. So don't you/you sue, onegai. :3

Semi-important notes . . .

1- Yuusuke, Keiko and Kuwabara's school is still Sarayashiki Junior High (Yuusuke, Kuwabara and Keiko are all fourteen).

2- Hiei's school is Tatakoe High (the next step for students in Sarayashiki Junior High).

3- Kurama, Yukina and Botan's school is Meiou High. (Hiei, Kurama, Yukina and Botan are all sixteen).

eh . . . did anyone else notice that FOUR (well-written, in my pathetic opinion ;;; ) shonen ai high school fics—semi-including mine ;;;;—have updated in the past two days?

n.n;

Stop a moment to think about it, you guys . . .

There's Fiery Roses, Mobius, By Love, and now my lil Tatakoe . . .

::shakes head and shrugs at the funny coincidence::

_**(Warning: moment of semi-random italisized reading advice ahead . . . you can skip it if you truly wish to, minna-san! -n.n- )**_

_I mean, Sanguine Skye's By Love is even on the same CHAPTER NUMBER as I am!!! m.m;;;;;; FREAKY!!! X.x;;; . . . but it's an AWESOME fic!!! Karasu/Kurama shonen ai pairing (which I'm not usually too fond of :p ), but she's making it work SOOOO well and I LUV reading the fic!! CHECK IT OUT, MINNA(despite the lack of Kurama and Hiei-ness!!!!)!!!! grr!! ::pulls an intimidating glare to get you all to go read this and the following fics::_

_and shadow priestess is doing Mobius . . . cool fic, chica!! n.n I'm still reading it with much vigor, even if I can't review ;;;; you guys should check it out, too! really well thought-out and a SWEET 'AU' setup she's got! -n.n-_

_Fiery Roses by Yoshiko Kyoda is nice, too . . . gosh, so many great authors, ne? n..n lol, not including me, of course ;; . . . BUT you should read this fic if you get time . . . the story's getting pretty freaky and cool -n.n-_

. . . great minds update alike, ne?

n.n;;;

Ah, if I only had a brain! T.T

::flings multiple sugar cookies with a chibi-version of Kurama and Hiei cuddling printed on them out to Volpe Di Spirito, Nite Nite, Hiei's Gothic Angel, shadow priestess, What2callmyself, Rekka, PV2 Day, Queen of the Paperclips, maliks-dragon, Kitsune Kit, Dream Fox, Sate and Vampire Ifurita::

Now onto the fic!

cliffie is resolved!! ( :3 )

n.n

(xxxxxxx)

**Saturday evening**

(xxxxxxxxxxxxx)

_. . . beforehand . . ._

(xxxxxxx)

As he turned, the crimson locks settled lazily behind him, and he took in the teen kneeling on the grass, clad in what could only be seen by the dim light of the street lamp . . .

The dark head of the younger teen was bowed, face completely hidden by shadows and night . . . and . . . clutched in both hands, the edge of the hilt level with his face . . .

Was a katana.

(xxxxxxx)

(xxxxxxx)

Chapter Twelve

_Unknown_

(xxxxxxx)

Kurama backed up a step.

Inwardly, Hiei smirked.

Slowly, the teen raised his head, the piercing ruby gaze staring straight into dusky emerald; their rich, deep color heightened by the dim light pouring out from the street . . . and he saw . . . a flicker—

Allowing his smirk to show, Hiei stood carefully . . . taking his time . . . shifting himself up until he was standing to the right of the katana—(whose tip was currently buried in the ground where Kurama had formerly been standing)—his right hand firmly grasping the hilt. The teen chuckled darkly, only once; looking down and closing his eyes smugly.

Then he was flying straight at the redhead, eyes narrowed with intensity . . . katana poised in a running stance away from him, ready to be used in the next moment . . . the garnet orbs were glinting wherever Kurama could catch sight of his face . . . the redhead didn't move, merely followed with his eyes where his opponent was going, with such a cool, carefully poised demeanor that Hiei found his inner self boiling at the hidden arrogance . . . when he KNEW he had seen a light flicker of fear . . .

Without a sound to betray his presence, Hiei appeared behind him, bringing the sword down, but the redhead noticed this at the last possible moment, dodging away and only sporting a small scratch across his side from the encounter . . . the red orbs grew darker, and a muttered curse floated up from the younger. Hiei then proceeded to use an altered variation of the technique from before, only this time coming around from the side, pushing the sword out in a flat attempt to skewer—

Kurama elegantly avoided the sharp blade, a small smile tugging at the edge of his mouth, each time he dodged . . . Hiei growled, and continued his attack, taking every opportunity that presented itself as a chance to try to lay a REAL 'scratch' on the redhead . . .

This continued for a few more minutes . . .

**(xxxxxxx)**

" . . . kisama . . . "came the low hiss from the shorter teen . . . as he skidded away, rebuffed once again by the seemingly invincible defense of his opponent.

Hiei liked to finish his fights quickly . . .

. . . and it seemed it wasn't going to happen that way with THIS one . . .

—Kurama caught the muttered undertone, and smiled, flicking his hair casually behind him, looking over his shoulder with careless ease as the ruffled red strands reverted back to their perfectly-groomed position.

"If you wanted this to be quick, you needed only to ask." he stated with genteel confidence, one emerald orb taking in Hiei from just above Kurama's left cheek, the other hidden . . . from the profile view of the older teen's head . . . the one visible red forelock shifted as he turned his face to meet Hiei's, both of the rich forest eyes amusedly taking in the shorter's annoyed visage.

" . . . Kisama . . . "Hiei began again, but stopped abruptly when he saw that Kurama had pulled a rose from somewhere on his personage.

Incredulous red eyes moved up to stare at the older teen, and the redhead had to nearly bite back a laugh . . . mirth shining even more brightly in the deep forest eyes . . .

. . . that . . . LOOK . . .

( . . . so innocent . . . )

Then it was gone, as Hiei narrowed his dark-hued eyes dangerously.

_. . . kisama . . . he's laughing at me . . . he's—_

Anger spilling out, Hiei raced forward, as fast as he could, over the grass, drawing the katana back for a full-fledged swing, the kindled rage at being mocked burning hotly in his eyes . . .

—shimatta.

He'd just forgotten why he hadn't used his full speed before . . . Hiei realized, cursing himself and recalling the fact just as he lost control of his forward motion . . .

The d—n grass was WET . . .

Slitting his eyes, Hiei looked over his shoulder, using his sword in an attempt to stop the forward motion, but to no avail . . . it was jerked from his grip . . . he had started too fast, and had been too close to begin with . . .

Kurama's jade eyes took a hasty inspection of the fast-approaching situation; Hiei kneeling, one leg put out, brushing the grass in a valiant attempt to slow down, but still continuing to slide forward at a fast rate on the slick greenery . . . he sighed . . .

_As it must be, then . . ._

(—since all this thinking had taken place in a mere moment—)

Kurama quickly knelt, opening his arms to the teen flying at him, wincing a bit when Hiei bowled into his chest, wrapping his arms around the younger almost involuntarily and pushing his head forward, shutting his eyes tightly in grim anticipation . . .

The momentum sent the pair flying into the tree, and Kurama's back hit the hard trunk full-force. His spine and body arched in reflex at the painful impact, and a gasp issued forth from the redhead's lips as his previously curved backbone and neck stiffened; straightening from the shock.

Well . . . at least he had avoided hitting his head . . . the redhead thought dimly, darkness wavering at the edges of his vision as he slumped against the tree, his back throbbing . . . he opened his eyes groggily, vision hazy, to look down at the figure held loosely in his arms—(ahem, correction . . .)—the TENSE figure.

Kurama forced a smile, ignoring the dull, stinging pain, and spoke.

" . . . dai . . . daijoubu . . . . . . desu ka?" Wide garnet eyes snapped up to his face . . . innocent-looking in their shock . . . and Kurama closed his own, leaning backward and letting his arms fall in a last considerate thought that his action had made the other uncomfortable . . . the shadows began to overtake his sight, and he drifted away with one last whisper of a thought . . .

**(xxxxxxx)**

Hiei remained stock-still for a few moments, one eyebrow cocked in a cynical glare directed at the now-unconscious redhead . . .

He briskly untangled himself, and, upon standing, noticed the sword lying forgotten in the dewy grass . . . then walked over and retrieved it. With a discreet glance, he noted that the older teen was still blacked out, leaning against the tree, arms resting limply at his side, some crimson locks having been swept forward, sprawled over his shoulders as a result of the abrupt collision . . . and his face—

Hiei shook his head, catching sight of another red thing out of the corner of his eye . . . as his gaze rested on the fragile blossum resting lightly on the dark greenery . . . he scoffed, then turned and headed the opposite way, glaring straight ahead at the night sky in front of him as he headed home, steps thumping with cool, controlled anger on the hard concrete . . .

—baka . . .

**(xxxxxxx)**

Unbeknownst to the disappearing form of the dark, spiky-haired teen, a figure slowly crept from the shadows, approaching the redhead left all alone . . . and a low chuckle spread from his throat at the sight.

The tall, thin teen bent down, picking up the surprisingly light boy with ease, his silky black hair shifting a bit with the movement.

The figure started walking away; the still-unconscious redhead captured in his arms.

And the crimson rose was still where it had fallen, beneath the tree . . .

Lying on the damp, short strands of common flora . . .

**(xxxxxxx)**

With a low groan, Kurama came to . . .

His head was pounding . . . . . . the teen brought one hand up to run through his thick, messy bangs, only stopping the motion to stare blankly—(in thought)—at the inside of his palm.

Closing his eyes with a gentle sigh, he nearly jumped out of his skin when a soft and tender, yet surprised voice reached him . . .

"Shu-kun!" The hand came away immediately, and he squinted at the bright light, but then focused . . .

Smiling weakly at his mother, Kurama pushed himself up, relying on his elbows for support. She looked worried . . .

"Oh, Shu-kun! You're awake!" The lady cried, tears forming at the corners of her eyes as she clutched the towel she had been holding when she came in. Shiori walked over to his side, sitting carefully down on the bed sheets, and putting a hand to his forehead. She sighed with relief after a while, and took her pleasantly cool fingers away.

"You don't have a fever anymore, musuko . . . thank goodness . . . but I suppose you need your rest, right . . . ? "Kurama nodded with an acknowledging smile, as she then proceeded to head for the door—(his headache really HADN'T gotten any better)—his back still throbbing with blatant pain . . .

". . . arigatou . . . . . . ano . . . kaasan?" Shiori stopped, about to slide the wooden door open, and looked over her shoulder to speak to him.

"Hai, Shu-kun?" This one, burning question needed to be answered . . .

"Who brought me here?" At this her brow furrowed, and Shuichi hastily made amends. "Forgive my rudeness, kudasai . . . " But she only smiled at this and shook her head again. Taking in his quizzical gaze with another kind look, she explained.

"I'm not quite sure, Shu-kun. I heard someone knock, then ring the doorbell many times late last night . . . but when I went to get it, there was only you . . . leaning against the porch steps, sleeping . . . "Shiori shook her head lightly, opening the door at last. "I wish you had told me you went out last night . . . but I'll leave you to your rest, Shu-kun!" And with another warm, motherly smile . . . she was gone.

Kurama sighed, rubbing his neck . . . the last he remembered, he had been thrown back into a very sturdy tree . . . the redhead winced as he shifted—his sore spine and headache were testament enough to THAT—out of habit, he fished around in his jeans pockets, expecting to find some of the spare yen he often kept in there . . . but also . . .

Brow knitting together in puzzlement, he found a folded piece of paper in his pocket . . . upon taking it out, he opened the letter, reading the characters with a growing anxiety . . . he hastily glanced out the window . . . where only the innocent Sunday late-afternoon sunlight was pouring in . . .

Crushing the paper in his fist, Kurama threw it aside as vehemently as he dared, given his 'condition' . . . then proceeded to retreat under the covers, pulling them over . . . using his body's complaining as an excuse for more restorative sleep . . .

In a black, scrawly-looking handwriting, on the crumpled paper on the floor, was written. . .

_Anata wa kirei na kizutsukeru . . . Shuichi-kun . . ._

**(xxxxxxx)**

Monday morning

**(xxxxxxx)**

And, all too soon, it seemed the weekend was over . . .

Shuichi tromped to school, actually able to ignore the dulled ache that testified to his weekend—(because of the Tylenol his mother had given him)—shrugging inwardly at the stray thought, the redhead made his way to school . . . nearing the end of the block, he spotted someone leaning against the building, clad all in black . . . sweeping his eyes briefly over the other as he continued walking, Kurama only stopped when the tall boy stepped in front of him.

Looking up—a rather odd experience for someone of his height—he caught a trace of a smirk on the other's face . . . then, a strong, lean hand suddenly cupped his chin in an elegant grip, taking in his widening green gaze as narrowed eyes surveyed the confused ones, that face drawing closer at the inspection . . .

"—you're school's at the end of the block. " The taller teen stated, even as that narrowed glare continued to scrutinize the twin jades not a few inches away. Imperceptibly, Kurama nodded . . . and those long, lithe fingers retreated, leaving a cool, lingering touch on his face as the boy removed his hand . . . the youth smirking as sharp eyes flicked over the clothes the redhead was wearing, before coming back up to capture his gaze again . . . "Nice uniform."

Kurama shook off the feeling, and glared at the tall, silvery teen, who had just a hint of arrogance in his eyes, even AS he stepped aside . . . allowing the calm, yet inwardly confused adolescent to continue, undisturbed, onto the private academy . . .

When he reached the gates, Shuichi glanced back to the building out of the corner of his eye, but found that the odd stranger was gone . . .

**(xxxxxxx)**

Monday afternoon

**(xxxxxxx)**

" . . . because 'x' equals 2, Niisa-san—for the equation 'f of x', you must substitute that number in for 'x' . . . . . . therefore, since f(x) equals 2x 5 . . . . . . . f(2) must equal 2(2) 5 . . . " The redhead neatly scribbled out his work as he said it, explaining as clearly and kindly as he could.

" . . . is that nine, then, Minamino-san?" Yukina offered in her timid voice . . . and Kurama nodded, smiling in encouragement at the girl's correct answer.

"Hai, sou desu! Now, to graph the equation, what do you do?" Yukina fell silent, thinking . . . until she hesitantly wrote under the x/y T-chart . . .

x is 2, y is 9

Shuichi's smile grew, and he nodded when her unsure gaze went to him.

"Sou! And where did you get the value for 'y', again, Niisa-san?" This time around, the sea-green-haired girl returned his bright smile.

"Because f(x) is y." He nodded with yet another friendly look, and they continued to work . . .

He was very proud of her . . . she worked very hard, trying to understand, and he could tell that these concepts weren't particularly easy for the kind, gracious girl . . .

**(xxxxxxx)**

Minamino-san was very nice . . . she was very glad he had agreed to help her today . . .

Perhaps on her next test Haha and Chichi would have a reason to be proud of her!

Beaming for a moment at the heartening thought, the cheerful girl quickly returned to figuring out the various practice problems that remained . . . (the redhead had suggested she try them—while he was here to help) . . .

**(xxxxxxx)**

Eyes slitted, back slouched, glare nearly transforming into a glower at the scene before him, Hiei sat concealed in the tree, watching the proceedings inside . . .

His sister was smiling happily at the redhead, and he couldn't tell exactly why . . .

But Kurama was, as well.

He hissed under his breath at THAT smile, his mind allowing the pieces to fall into place . . .

_. . . yarou . . . don't you DARE . . ._

**(xxxxxxx)**

Come on, come on . . . you ALL know who the two 'shadowy figures' are, ne?

-n.n-

Go ahead and guess; I'll almost guarantee your correct-ness!

( n.n;; lol . . . )

. . . also, for fun (and if you DON'T know ;3 ), I'll tell you guys what SOME of the Japanese words mean :3

_Kaasan / Okaasan_ - Mother (Haha is REFERRING to one's mother; but never spoken in their presence)

_Tousan / Otousan_ - Father (Chichi is REFERRING to one's father; basically the same deal as with 'Haha' n.n;; )

_Niisan / Oniisan_ - Older brother

_Imouto_ - Little sister

_Katana_ - Sword

_Kudasai / Onegai_ - Please ( . . . basically . . . ;;; )

_Arigatou _- Thanks.

_Doumo arigatou_ - Thanks a lot.

_Doumo arigatou gozaimasu / Arigatou gozaimasu / Arigatou gozaimushta_ - Thank you very much.

_Anata_ - You (politely . . . sorta ;;; )

_Kisama_ - You (meant in a derogatory (insulting) way)

_Baka _- Idiot / Stupid

_Shimatta _- Blast it! / Oh no! / Crap! / Darn it! / Crud! ( n.n;;; )

_Daijoubu desu ka_ - Are you all right?

_Tadaima_ - I'm home

_Hai, sou desu!_ - That's right!

_Ningen_ - Human (although it's only used in the summary ;;;; )

::evil snicker::

and that's all you get, minna-san!

lol

(if I translate any more, it'll give the plot away ;;;;;;; ( eheh n.n; ) )

. . . and YES (if you noticed) in the letter thing in Kura's pocket, as for what I put at the beginning (instead of his name) . . . I know it's more polite to put someone's name rather than 'anata' but . . . that'll be explained later!

:3

( . . . too much Japanese information for you guys, ne? ( Xx;; oro! XX;; ) )

lol, so now, with all your brains overloaded from deluge of Japanese words ( nn;;; ) I take my leave of you all!

muahahaha!!

n.n;

eheh . . . well . . . as for MY thoughts today . . . I thought this chappie was . . . decent.

. . . ::shrugs:: . . .

I'd really appreciate you reviewing, minna-san!!

Jaa!

- Kita-chan :3

PS

Arigatou gozaimasu . . .

_Volpe Di Spirito (sure, sure. ;;; . . . but do you think that a heartless fox bandit like youko would care about some 'weak onna ningen's life? :3 muahaha!!! -n.n- . . . lol! YES!!! that's how Kura knows how to fight!! n..n! and yes, Hiei is, sadly, cheating yet AGAIN u.u;; . . . I think I had something figured out for that part, though . . . ::shifty eyes as she can't seem to rememebr what that WAS x.x;;; . . . NO!!! STOP WATCHING THAT BIRD!! WRITE, VOLPE-CHAN!!! ::growls:: . . . ::hisses:: . . . ::is suddenly all hyper and happy again:: ( nn; ) arigatou for reviewing, Volpechan! doumo!—UPDATE SOON!! ::threateningly holds up a hissing cat with black and white fur, and yellow eyes . . . which is currently trapped in a cage:: n.n )_

_Nite Nite (LOL!!!!! luv your reviews, chica!!! n..n keep 'em up!! eheh, that last line you typed was the best (in my opinion) and the funniest, lol . . . yay! glad you liked the 'lovely chapter' and Hiei-kun jumping down from the tree!! n.n I jus luv making them fight!! n.n; lol . . . arigatou gozaimushta for reviewing, Nite-chan!! danke!! (that's my German class slipping in again nn;) nn)_

_Hiei's Gothic Angel (::shrugs:: meh. nn it's ok, a lot of people are busy, along with having actual LIVES (unlike me --' ) so don't worry about it, Angel-chan . . . oh, you're confused? m.m;; drat. well . . . tell me what's confusing, ne? nn 'cause if you're on overload with some of this stuff, other people probably are, too . . . ::shrugs again:: :3 . . . aw, don't worry about babbling! I mean, take a look at all the inane stuff I put on AFTER each chapter . . . some readers don't like it too much, but that's their opinion . . . ::peace sign!:: lol ( nn; ), but thanks for reviewing, Angel-chan!! hope you find the time to review again!! arigatou gozaimushta!! n..n )_

_shadow priestess (yes! I have read both your third AND fourth chapters (of Mobius)!!! n..n it's getting deep, chica!! I luv it! :3 . . . lol, long chapters take more time to write, which I sadly don't have (T.T;;) BUT since there was a fight scene in this one, and it's moving a bit faster, I think the regular-length is still good . . . besides, if I wrote EVERY chapter at seven pages, then when I wanted to do a special thing I couldn't, 'cause then it would have to be even LONGER to keep to the pattern of this fic!! n.n;; lol, if I confused you right there, gomen ( ;; ) hope you liked the fight! I like how you're doing the 'psycological' aspect for Mobius . . . n..n coolness, chica . . . also, the part about Hiei not wanting to be touched . . . ::wide, happy grin:: that's why we're having/had him abused, ne? n..n for me, it's the 'no touchy' from childhood, and with your fic it's been reinforced all his life . . . ::shrugs:: . . . great job on it, shadow-chan . . . and thanks for reviewing!! -n.n- danke shoen! ah yes, and I've been meaning to ask you . . . what's 'suman ne' mean? n..n good luck with your writing! ( n.n; ) )_

_What2callmyself (::shivers again:: ooh, fun . . . a New York winter . . . ::shudders, and hands her a heating pad:: well, we actually got the heater working (FINALLY!!!! --' ) so I'm semi-warm right now, lol n.n; . . . ::hands What2-chan a BIIIIIIIIIG cup of hot chocolate in this huge 'Seattle' mug her mom got from some random person for Christmas one year . . . (no, seriously, the thing can hold about ten ounces X.x;;;;;; ) . . . BUT anyway, thanks for the review, What2-chan!! n..n hope you manage to stay warm somehow!! :3 doumo arigatou! -n.n- )_

_Rekka ( . . . . . Oo;; . . . . o-k . . . odd review, lol n.n; . . . eheh . . . but thanks . . . . . . . I think . . . Oo;; . . . eheh! nn; hope you liked the chapter; 'cause no one REALLY won, ne? n..n lol, and thanks for reviewing, Rekka-san! arigatou gozaimasu! ;3 )_

_PV2 Day (eep! lack of sleep! MEEP! X.x; . . . glad you left and came back, though m.m;;; . . . as for Hiei-kun's lil sheath . . . well . . . it's hidden in the series, so I figured it would only work that way here . . . ::shrugs:: but thankies SO MUCH! -n.n- . . . AH, YES!! your 'useless facts' are sooo cool!!! n..n considering I know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about Japanese swords!!! onegai teach me all you know, sensei!!! ::bows:: n..n . . . ah, yes, and thanks for the ncie comments about my many filler chappies ( and random babbling moments n.n;;; ) eheh, I just sorta want to do as much with this fic as I can, and it ends up not being all action-y all the time, you know? :3 but thanks so much, Day-san!! nn . . . tell me more useless facts kudasai!! -n.n- even if I don't use them in the story, I bet it would still be cool to know . . . but whatever. ::shrugs:: n.n again, danke for the review, Day-san! Arigatou gozaimushta!! n..n )_

_Queen of the Paperclips (ah! another yorkie!! n.n sweet . . . lol, it's sorta funny because in my Japanese online class (at school) our lil out-in-the-boonies high school links up with fifteen or so students in a school located somewhere in New York . . . ::shrugs:: . . . summer camp? X.x;; I'm . . . confused. X.X;;; . . . or is it for next summer? ;;; I dunno . . . ( x.x;;;; ) . . . glad you got in, though! n.n that's SWEET, Paperclip-chan! coolness! . . . ::shakes head at the hentai winks and whacks her with a mallet:: better not let Kit-chan read that . . . she has too many 'bad thought' tendencies as it is ( n.n;;; ) . . . and yes, the plot is finally starting to move along!! SUGOI!! n..n I jus needed about ten or so introduction chapters --;;;; . . . and an interesting quote this time, Paperclip-chan!! n.n; lol . . . no comment . . . eheh . . . ARIGATOU GOZAIMUSHTA for reviewing!! doumo! :3 )_

_maliks-dragon (YAY!! THE CLIFFHANGER HAS ENDED (for the moment --;;; . . . )! glad you like this story, Dragon-chan!! n..n and don't worry! I PLAN to keep writing!! arigatou gozaimasu for the review! thank you! :3 )_

_Kitsune Kit (::shakes head:: Kit-chan, Kit-chan, Kit-chan . . . whacks her on the head for about the millionth time . . . :: . . . lol, Kura got a LOT more beat up in this chappie, ne? nn;; eheh . . . poor Kura . . . he's my favorite character . . . but at least I won't kill him off, then . . . ::deranged, manaical grin:: . . . muahaha . . . n..n but thanks for reviewing again, Kit-chan! doumo! ;3 lol! n.n; )_

_Dream Fox (::nods in good-natured acknowledgement of her comment and request:: we'll see, Dream-san, we'll see . . . but I think this chappie may have fulfilled HALF of your suggestion, ne? it was sorta pre-planned to be in the original flow of the chapter, actually . . . but cool on how it worked out! n..n a lil bit of 'nearly nonexistent' shonen ai never hurt anyone, though . . . ;3 lol . . . and thanks for the review, Dream-san! arigatou! n..n )_

_Sate (lol, not a fast update, 'cause I usually update on Saturdays now, but I guess you lucked out and got to read two chappies in quick succession . . . n.n yay!! careful of those library assistants . . . did you know that the word 'assassin' can ALMOST be made out of 'assistant'? (it's jus missing the fourth 's' . . . ) n.n; muahahaha!!! . . . aw, glad I'm one of your favorite sakusha!! -n..n- ::feels all honored and happy now:: . . . who's the other one? I want to read some of their stuff n..n . . . arigatou gozaimasu for reviewing (despite the school-ish circumstances n.n;; ) Sate-chan!! doumo! :3 )_

_Vampire Ifurita (Oo; freaky . . . in your last review you said Hiei was 'no doubt going to do something stupid' . . . and he did!! ( X.x;; ) ::shudders:: odd . . . n.n;;; . . . thankies for the compliment about Kura's past, Ita-chan!! n.n arigatou gozaimushta!! n..n I'm still reading 'Caged', btw!! . . . you're on chapter number six, I think? I liked how Hiei saved Kura before it went to far . . . the fox not being able to talk of his own will was really tragic! T.T; ( . . . wonder how/when Jorfl is going to get his 'camuffins', ne? ) X.x;;; I dunno ( --' ) . . but thanks for the review, Ita-chan!! :3 doumo arigatou gozaimushta! -n..n- )_

_sleepy—from last chapter (gomen nasai! ;;; I got your review, but somehow missed it because it was for chappie number eight . . . GOMEN!!! x.x;;;; . . . anyway, eheh . . . yea, that's cool about the thing with our favorite ice apparition's name! -n.n- sweet! I never knew that 'yuki' meant snow, sleepy-san! n..n . . . and thanks for reviewing!)_

OK!!

NOW I CAN FINALLY UPDATE ( --' ) !!!

thanks for all the reviews from you guys!!

hope you keep it up, minna-san!!

Thanks so very much!!

(and arigatou for checking out my fic, silent readers! n..n )

Peace out!

:3


	13. Constant

**AU – Tatakoe koukou no shusseki suru: Attending Tatakoe High**

_(alternate universe, shonen ai) Kurama and Hiei are normal humans attending regular, everyday human school. NOT YOUR USUAL SCHOOL 'AU' FIC. This time they DON'T go to the same high school . . . pairings; KurHiei, YusKei, KuwYuk, KoeBot._

Shonen ai (perhaps some yaoi) eventually. n.n;;

BE WARNED if you don't like it, ok, minna-san? n.n

Pairings: Kurama x Hiei, Yuusuke x Keiko, Kuwabara x Yukina, Koenma x Botan

Disclaimer: Kita doesn't own yuyu. So don't you/you sue, onegai. :3

Semi-important notes . . .

1- Yuusuke, Keiko and Kuwabara's school is still Sarayashiki Junior High (Yuusuke, Kuwabara and Keiko are all fourteen).

2- Hiei's school is Tatakoe High (the next step for students in Sarayashiki Junior High).

3- Kurama, Yukina and Botan's school is Meiou High. (Hiei, Kurama, Yukina and Botan are all sixteen).

- n . . . . n –

::is all happy because her favorite character's in this chappie and the reviews total up to 130—the most comments she's EVER gotten for a lil fic of hers!!! . . . . . . . . :3 ::

eheh, well minna-san, here we are . . . chapter thirteen . . .

—published on Halloween day here in the States.

( freakish coincidence, there, minna-san ( Oo;;; ) ::shudders:: . . . )

lol! n.n;;

no plushie throwing today, gomen ne ( u.u... )

( . . . I sorta promised myself I'd only do the random throwing of things if I got fourteen or more reviews for a chapter . . . )

n.n;;

lol, suman ne ( -.n ) but that's my lil quirk!

;3

ah, yes, and we learn one of the identities of the 'shadowy figures' today . . . n.n;;; eheh . . . err . . .

::shrugs again::

ACTUALLY, I felt sorta funny because four—and PERHAPS five (because she didn't say WHO she thought the two people were -.-#)—people more or less guessed who one of them was . . . but no one had a thought for the other!!

-n.n-

made ME feel happy, anyway, lol . . . maybe I can write mystery . . .

::mumbles incoherently:: although I DID only put one clue in the last chapter as to the identity of the second 'shadowy figure' -.-### . . . maybe that's it . . .

HEY!! I GOT IT!!!

if you can find the hint (paste the paragraph and/or sentence in a review kudasai), I'll give ya TWO shadowy figure plushies in the next chapter!!

n.n;; eheh . . . heh . . . heh . . .

Thankies are at the end!

( n.n;;;;; )

(xxxxxxx)

**Monday afternoon**

(xxxxxxxxxxxxx)

_. . . beforehand . . ._

(xxxxxxx)

Eyes slitted, back slouched, glare nearly transforming into a glower at the scene before him, Hiei sat concealed in the tree, watching the proceedings inside . . .

His sister was smiling happily at the redhead, and he couldn't tell exactly why . . .

But Kurama was, as well.

He hissed under his breath at THAT smile, his mind allowing the pieces to fall into place . . .

_. . . yarou . . . don't you DARE . . ._

(xxxxxxx)

(xxxxxxx)

Chapter Thirteen

_Constant_

(xxxxxxx)

**Monday evening**

(xxxxxxx)

Heaving a large sigh, brown schoolbag slung over one shoulder, Kurama headed home.

Oh, it wasn't that being with Niisa-san and her family was a chore . . .

Iie, not that . . .

It was just . . .

Continuously dealing with small pockets of obsessed females that hounded him constantly at school tended to be . . .

Rather trying.

( . . . to say the least . . . )

He shook his mane of red hair, venting a bit of the slightly irked feeling; the motion causing cool, fiery-colored locks to ripple down his back in small waves . . .

**(xxxxxxx)**

Kurama had scarcely reached his home; in fact had just inserted the key into the door, when he was suddenly pressed harshly against the flat wood. Gasping a quick breath, but keeping some semblance of calm, his eyes tried to flicker behind him, to catch a glimpse of the attacker . . .

But something sharp and firm against his back convinced his head to stay where it was, and he stiffened at the silent threat . . . he felt the person lean up . . .

So they're short . . . he thought, storing the information away, although a vague visage was already floating at the edge of his mind . . . a simple guess, nothing more . . .

"Not her." hissed a deep voice by his ear, chilled with merciless intent and harshly demanding compliance. His right cheek and hands still pushed firmly against the door, the left red forelock and his position hiding any chance of true recognition . . . Kurama's eyes widened the slightest bit.

"—do you enjoy attacking people from the back . . . ?" he inquired quietly, in a whisper . . . and the cold steel of the now-recognized katana pushed further into his back. He winced—(a barely noticeable expression)—at the uncomfortable touch, and heard the growling voice mutter some final few words of advice.

"Last warning."

Then the pressure was gone, and he turned around quickly, crimson locks rustling from behind softly—expecting to catch a glimpse of the boy . . . to confirm the identity one step further . . . but . . .

No one . . .

Shaking his head—(mostly to relieve any curious tension that now plagued his mind)—the redhead finished turning the momentarily-abandoned key, and let himself inside . . .

**(xxxxxxx)**

A little ways down the street, a tall, ebony figure hid amongst the shadows of the trees, watching with a smirk as a small black blur flitted down the avenue, soon finding its way out of the district . . .

Dark eyes glittered as the slight-of-frame person's gaze returned to take in its original object of attention . . . the two-story house with roses climbing up one wall in the front, their thorny stems clinging to a classic white-picket fence designed to perpetuate their struggle against gravity . . .

A hissed chuckle escaped thin lips, and the teen's eyes sparked, an odd sheen flickering in their depths with anticipation . . . he couldn't take it much longer . . .

After having finally touched him . . .

**(xxxxxxx)**

Tuesday, early morning

**(xxxxxxx)**

_(::memory::)_

_Finally the green-eyed boy sat up, looking to find his friend sitting comfortably on a ratty old trash can. The boy cocked a half-smile, tilting his head to the side._

_"That was a good race, Kura. You almost got me that time." The sarcasm didn't QUITE escape him, so Kura rolled his eyes, deciding instead to lie back, and . . . eventually drifted off in the comfortable afternoon sun._

_A loud sound started to resound through the paved ditch, jarring both boys from their half-asleep states. Kurama pushed himself up a bit, elbows bent, the lower part of his arms parallel to the ground, as his upper chest was lifted up. Green eyes widened._

_His life . . ._

_He saw it._

_In that one moment, from the two cars racing down the man-made river toward them, everything stopped . . ._

_(::end memory::)_

Kurama woke, jerking upwards into a sitting position, eyes wild and fearful . . . a panicky glance around his room told him he was safe, but instead of slumping back into the soft mattress with relief, a hand found its way to his forehead, the tip of one elbow resting against the middle of his thigh as he leaned into it, hiding most of his face in shadow . . . pain-filled jade eyes slipped shut, and a barely perceived shudder passed over his slouched form . . .

When will it end . . . ? he thought idly, feeling his throat choke of its own accord . . .

When will I be able to forget . . . ?

He wouldn't cry.

. . . he couldn't.

Oh, of course, when he was a child he had cried . . . Haha had held him, whispering soothing words to him, comforting . . . saying that everything would be all right . . .

As cruel fate would have it, his mind—(having been heartlessly refreshed)—began to replay the rest of the scene to his unwilling eyes . . .

_(::memory::)_

_The redhead was frozen in time._

_Horrified, his friend called out quickly for him to move, but the boy with wide, bright eyes was staring, unmoving and unheeding, at the two teens barreling down the road toward them—both elders caught up in their private little drag race and not paying attention to the scene rapidly playing out before them . . ._

_With a sudden cry, the boy sitting on the trash recepticle leapt forward, trying to shove the shocked youth away from the dangerous center of the 'street' . . . but not quite enough. Now only dead weight in his shock, Kurama wouldn't move! The ebony-haired boy continued to push and roll his friend's unresponsive body to the side of the road, using all his strength to accomplish this one task . . ._

_(::end memory::)_

Kurama's eyes stung.

He rubbed at them, clenching his jaw, and let his hand fall . . . the elegant fingers slowly forming into a fist on his lap. A fierce green gaze glared at the wall directly across from him.

—school.

Not caring that it was currently three in the morning, on a Tuesday, and that he had to 'get up' in a few hours, Kurama rumaged around in the bag he had brought upstairs, finding the book he sought and furiously flicking on his desk lamp; flooding the smooth surface with soft, limpid light . . . finding the correct page, and taking out his notebook, Kurama dove whole-heartedly into his work . . .

( . . . after all, this project was due a week from Thursday . . . )

**(xxxxxxx)**

Tuesday morning

**(xxxxxxx)**

Shuichi made it to school without any interruptions.

( . . . including that of suspicious tall teens that happened to guess which school he attended . . . )

Bright jade eyes focused intently on the book—(the same from last night)—that he was currently reading, Kurama didn't realize class was about to start—until a hesitant voice woke him from the world spun of words . . .

Lifting his eyes, the spell broken, and turning his gaze gracefully towards the disturber of his reading, he found a brown-haired girl sitting across the aisle to his right, blushing softly as she whispered, her equally brown eyes kept straight forward, staring firmly at their teacher's receding hairline far in the front of the room.

". . . a—ano . . . sensei is about to begin, Minamino-kun . . . ". . . always the amiable classmate; he smiled his thanks when she peeked at him out of the corner of her eye . . . and the girl visibly relaxed.

The sensei stood, and all eyes went to him, pencils cocked at the ready for some, and others falling asleep at their desks . . . the man cleared his throat.

"We have a new student today, class. I hope you show him how honorable you are, being respected students of Meiou Academy." Murmurs broke out around the room as he walked over to the door, motioning to the boy standing outside to enter.

Gasps were head around the class.

A most unusual personage strolled carelessly into the room, chill, distant eyes flicking over the class as the students were hushed into sudden silence. A smirk played on the pale, masculine face, as the boy continued to make his way over to the desk, each step a practiced move of cool aloofness, and he then turned to face the speechless room.

It wasn't only the color of his eyes; pupils tinted lightly with an irregular shade of gold . . . and naturally narrowed from seeming years of practice.

Nor was it just the thick strands of positively REAL-looking hair that reached past his waist to fall in a silvery curtain behind him; two elegant forelocks, not unlike Shuichi's own, gently framed the strong chin and pale face that looked as though it could have been chiseled from the palest pure granite.

No . . . these were NOT the only things that had silenced the twenty formerly-chatting teens . . .

Shamelessly ignoring the routine uniform code of the prestigious school, the transfer student had purchased a completely different outfit . . .

Instead of the bright, awful pink, the jacket he wore was a calm grey, just tinted the slightest bit down from white, making it nearly shine with hidden silver when accented by the long mane behind it.

Though there was still a double gold stripe racing vertically down the center . . .

Unnoticed in the awed silence, the teacher made his way back to the desk, scrutinizing the clearly-identified punk all the way, and wondering if this was TRULY the brilliant boy he had heard about from the other high school . . .

Clearing his throat for the second time that day, he meant to speak, but was cut off by the new student, who received a disbelieving glare from the interrupted instructor, which the teen casually dismissed . . . without even showing a sign that it may have ever existed.

"Hajimemashite." stated a low, deep voice to the class, the pale golden eyes roving carefully over the room, taking in his soon-to-be-classmates . . . and the small, darkly arrogant smirk returned to his face when his gaze landed upon an eyes-wide Kurama, the redhead's mouth hanging ever so slightly open.

"Douzo . . . yoroshiku." echoed the strong, quiet bass, laced with a bit of overlying amusement at the speechless group. Shuichi clamped his jaw shut, imagining that an almost nonexistent warmth had risen to his cheeks.

Beginning to speak, and still slightly glaring at the 'punk', the teacher continued before he could be cut off again.

"This is Netsuki Toujin-san. Please remember to give him a warm welcome, minna-san." The older teen didn't bother to bow, but merely nodded his head in the slightest, gold eyes glinting as he acknowledged—for the first time—that the mass of stunned studentia before him was a thinking, breathing—(and possibly sentient)—being of its own.

Kurama remained sitting there, holding his breath . . .

Netsuki Toujin.

So that was his name . . .

(—he remembered—)

That same cold gaze . . . from yesterday morning . . .

**(xxxxxxx)**

Oblivious to—(or rather ignoring)—the deathly quiet room, the sensei continued to eye Netsuki, not quite ready to trust that this was REALLY the genius transfer student he had been told would be joining his class for the rest of the year . . .

His eyes lit up with an explanation . . .

. . . an imposter . . .

The teacher smiled slightly, continuing to scrutinize the silver-haired teen from the profile view he had . . . the boy was currently gazing apathetically over the silent class in bored relaxation . . .

Well, THAT trick could be found out earily enough . . .

Letting out a small chuckle, the teacher shifted his eyes to the ivory-skinned teen's face, only to find two tinted gold orbs gazing at him in an even stare, clearly no longer heedful of his peers before him . . . examining the middle-aged man with cool scrutiny . . .

Tensuta-sensei cleared his throat.

"Netsuki-san . . . ?" he began politely, still holding onto his smile, though inwardly the man was boiling in anger at the arrogance and lack of respect the boy displayed . . . ( . . . those odd eyes hadn't left him since he had been caught watching . . . ) . . .

". . . hai?" Toujin responded lazily, not moving his head an inch, those pale yellow eyes still inspecting, flicking over his instructor with careful ease . . .

"Please take your seat—" Tensuta trailed off, as the boy was already moving; he gaped, sputtering at the indignity, but the youth continued to stroll slowly down the front, turning into the second-last row, and paying no mind to the incredulous stares he was getting from both genders . . .

But for one.

Stopping next to the jade-eyed teen's desk, but still blatantly ignoring the wary look now set on the other's face, he leaned down to a brown-haired girl, eye level, speaking to the classmate seated at the redhead's right . . . in a tone far too low for anyone to hear . . .

She reddened, looking up at him, and he straightened, only offering her a suggestive smirk in response . . . his golden eyes offset alluringly by long, silver bangs . . .

Her blush deepening, she hurriedly collected her things, and quickly retreated to the front of the room—(Shuichi always sat in the back, next to the window)—not meeting his or anyone else's eyes . . . claiming the empty desk that had once signified the spot where Netsuki was SUPPOSED to sit . . .

—said teen, indifferent to the now-murmuring class, took the recently vacated seat without hesitation and leaned back, linking the two lean arms expertly in the silver mane behind him for his head's support . . .

(—the sensei decided NOW would be an excellent time to begin his lecture—)

Paying no mind to the buffoon up front, Toujin glanced out of the corner of one eye—to see that still-suspicious green gaze lingering on him . . . he closed his eyes with a soft shake of his head, and muttered a low comment . . .

"Do you like me so well that you cannot even speak." he stated quietly, opening his eyes only when he heard a huff of indignation sound from the other. The silvery youth turned his head slightly to the other, adjusting his left arm for vision's sake . . . to take in—with a small smile—the irate teen . . . who had narrowed his beautiful rich-green eyes and spoke rather curtly before facing forward again, an impassive light cast over his taut form.

"You wish."

But the calm youth could see those jade orbs flicker back to him, and winked saucily at the teen, grinning smugly . . . finally satisfied when a barely discernable tinge of pink dusted the creamy skin . . .

He chuckled as the boy, without another word, dove whole-heartedly into the highly interesting act of taking notes . . . while Toujin continued to relax, staring out the window past the fire-red locks of hair and into the tree-lined front courtyard of the academy . . .

Mnm . . . this was going to be an interesting year . . .

**(xxxxxxx)**

::prances!!::

I LUV writing this guy!!!

- n . . . . . . . . . n -

yay! yay! yay! yay! yay! yay! YAY!!!!

- n . . . n -

::squeals!!::

SOO much fun, minna-san!!!!

:3

. . . NOW can you guys guess who the other 'shadowy figure' is, Yui-chan, Ita-chan, Paperclip-chan, Kit-chan and Kit(elf)-san?

hm-m-m?!?

-n.n-

—wow, I'm hyper now, lol ( Oo;; ) . . . .

RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!! RUN FOR YOUR PUNY, INSIGNIFICANT LIVES!!!

X.x;;;; oro!!!

X.X;;;;;

eheh n.n;;;

eh . . .

Japanese definitions for this chapter:

_Hajimemashite_ - How do you do

_Douzo yoroshiku_ - Nice to meet you / A pleasure to meet you

Jaa!

- Kita-chan ( n.n;;; )

PS

Arigatou gozaimasu . . .

_Kooriya Yui ( . . . - . . . WA! ( n.n;; lol ) you'll see, you'll see, Yui-chan! -n . . . n- . . . lol, did you translate the message yet? ;3 eheh, I made it as a hint for people who speak Japanese . . . perhaps I'll tell you what it means eventually! ;3 lol, thanks for the review, Yui-chan! -n.n- arigatou!)_

_Vampire Ifurita (eheh n.n;; yea, Hi-kun isn't TOO intelligent sometimes ( u.u;; ) lol!! n.n;; yea, 'Caged' is awesome, chica . . . I jus realized after I published the last chappie that you updated X.x; gah! . . . and I'm not saying another word about who the OTHER shadowy figure is ;3 lol!! thanks for the review, Ita-chan! -n.n- doumo!)_

_Volpe Di Spirito (oh, it simple why he left Hiei-kun, Volpe-chan . . . HE'S ONLY KNOWN HIM FOR ::pauses to recount how many days have actually passed in this fic:: . . . FIVE DAYS!!! -.-;; can't expect him to be all mushy when he barely knows the guy, ne? -n . . . n- lol . . . yes, Tylenolis good ( eheh n.n;;;;; ) . . . WAHK!!! X.x;; oro! Kura WOULD care (about some weak ningen onna's life) then, wouldn't he? x.x;; crikies, I dug myself into a hole with THAT one, ne? u.u;; sigh . . . ::shrugs:: but thanks for the fun review, Volpe-chan! -n.n- doumo!)_

_Hiei's Gothic Angel (oh, well that's good . . . less confusion spurs more understanding, ne? -.n lol, THAT was pointless and redundant, eheh n.n;;; . . . glad you still like it! thanks for reviewing, Angel-chan! arigatou! :3 )_

_Vashies-Girl (well . . . given as I already addressed the 'YOU'RE NOT STUPID' issue (n.n;;;) . . . you'll find out who he is NEXT chappie, I promise!! -n.n- ( n.n;; eheh . . . ::peace sign:: ) thanks for finding the time to review, chica! doumo arigatou, Vashies-san! -n . . . n- )_

_Queen of the Paperclips (ah, yes, it's not my self-esteem that's the problem . . . I jus don't want to sound all condescending and stuff . . . because then people won't like me if I get all arrogant like that ( u.u;; ) . . . ::shrugs:: so THAT'S basically the reason why you may see so much negative stuff towards myself . . . ::shrugs again:: . . . you find out who one of the shadowy figures is in the next chapter, and then both the lil mysteries will be solved! -n.n- lol . . . ( n.n;; ) . . . could you guess who the OTHER 'shadowy figure' from Kura's walk to school yesterday was? :3 . . . hope so . . . I DO like messing with your heads, but hope you get my base meaning anyway n.n;;; EHEH!! I'm shutting up now -.-;; . . . stupid arrogant tendencies ;.;''' . . . sigh u.u;; . . . gomen ne, and thanks for the review, Paperclip-chan! ::gives her a plushie of Kura and Hiei hugging:: there's the hug you needed (from the quote on your t-shirt), Paperclip-chan! doumo arigatou gozaimasu! -n.n- )_

_shadow priestess ( -n.n- yay! ::dances around as well:: lol, glad you like the dark evil figures of death . . . like your phrase, chica! ;3 eheh n.n;; . . . ahh . . . so THAT'S what 'suman' means . . . cool! -n.n- . . . thanks for the nicey-nice comments, shadow-chan! -n.n- I'm keeping an eye out for Mobius, even if I don't leave you a review! -n.n- thanks for the review, too! doumo arigatou gozaimushta! :3 )_

_Firekitti (::huggles!!:: -n . . . . . . . n- thanks for the comments . . . but . . . what do you mean by made-ups? X.x;;; . . . seems to me I'm making up a LOT of stuff having to do with their pasts, and the present, not to mention sticking a whole new high school into the picture . . . X.X;; oro!!!! x.x;; help me for I am confused . . . ( x.x;;; ) . . . eheh, thanks for the pocky, too!! ::munches:: haven't had strawberry yet . . . the store I get them at only has chocolate and almond, and I've only gotten the chocolate so far . . . ::shrugs:: but thanks for the encouraging comments and I'm glad you found the time to review, Kitti-chan!! -n.n- arigatou gozaimasu! :3 )_

_Marori (hey, thanks! -n.n- glad you still like it (despite the fillers, ne? n.n;; lol . . . ) I'll try to keep updating weekly, Maro-san . . . 11th grade is hard, lol! ::peace sign:: ah, but I try . . . that's what counts, ne? :3 thanks for the review, chica! doumo arigatou! -n.n- )_

_Kitsune Kit (yes, yes, you're right Kit-chan . . . ::winks:: jus wait for a bit, THEN you'll see him act up :3 lol, thanks for the review, chica! -n.n- arigatou gozaimasu! :3 )_

_Kit the Ice Elf (GWAH!! TELL ME YOUR GUESSES!!!! . . . x.x;; . . . oro, gomen for that u.u;; eheh . . . n.n;;; . . . glad you like! -n.n- cool username! yes, well . . . I said the shonen ai will come 'eventuallly', ne? ::checks beginning of chapter:: yup! -n.n- so you've got to wait for a bit, Kit-san . . . (don't worry, next chappie we'll be about there, eheh n.n;;;; ) thanks for the compliments! I'm glad you checked out my story and arigatou for the nicey-nice review, chica! doumo! :3 )_

YES!!  
  
NOW FOR UPDATING-NESS!!

joy!

rapture!

happiness!

purple clogs!

-n . . . . . . n-

. . . lol n.n;;;

eh . . .

oh, yes, yes, yes!!

Let's Fly As The Birds Do by Hikari Nanase.

READ IT.

I finished her fic in about twelve hours, from when I got home on Friday to the early AM on Saturday morning . . . it's so good that I couldn't stop reading!!

GO CHECK IT OUT, MINNA-SAN!!!

. . . seriously.

It's an awesome Kura & Hiei fic ( . . . I have her listed under my 'favorite authors'—if you want to take a shortcut . . . ).

ok, well, hope you decide to review!

-n.n-

. . . and thanks for being here anyway if you refrain from leaving me a lil comment . . .

Peace out!

:3

_PPS_

_Happy 'Harowiin', everyone!_

_May the spirits of the dead have mercy on your innocent souls!_

_-n . . . n-_

_( lol, bye for now, minna! n.n;; have a good holiday tonight, if you're celebrating ;3 )_


	14. Dominance

**AU – Tatakoe koukou no shusseki suru: Attending Tatakoe High**

_(alternate universe, shonen ai) Kurama and Hiei are normal humans attending regular, everyday human school. NOT YOUR USUAL SCHOOL 'AU' FIC. This time they DON'T go to the same high school . . . pairings; KurHiei, YusKei, KuwYuk, KoeBot._

Shonen ai (perhaps some yaoi) eventually. n.n;;

BE WARNED if you don't like it, ok, minna-san? n.n

Pairings: Kurama x Hiei, Yuusuke x Keiko, Kuwabara x Yukina, Koenma x Botan

Disclaimer: Kita doesn't own yuyu. So don't you/you sue, onegai. :3

_**Bibliography:**_

_The source where I got the information about the history of Mount Kurama can be found on these two websites; I did NOT (by some amazing chance) just happen to know all this cool Japanese stuff ( :3 ) . . . though I DID 'tweak' it a bit in places with the 'journal quote' and the description of the horse and all . . . eheh n.n;;;_

_(btw, replace the FULLY CAPITOLIZED words with the actual punctuation mark, please n.n;; )_

_http COLON SLASH SLASH www DOT travellady DOT com SLASH Issues SLASH Issue56 SLASH kurama DOT htm_

_http COLON SLASH SLASH www DOT lifeforces DOT org DOT reiki BOTTOM HORIZONTAL SLASH history DOT html_

Semi-important notes . . .

1- Yuusuke, Keiko and Kuwabara's school is still Sarayashiki Junior High (Yuusuke, Kuwabara and Keiko are all fourteen).

2- Hiei's school is Tatakoe High (the next step for students in Sarayashiki Junior High).

3- Kurama, Yukina and Botan's school is Meiou High. (Hiei, Kurama, Yukina and Botan are all sixteen).

(PPS: . . . hey, I just realized I updated chapter fourteen on November fourteenth . . . X.x;; oddness . . . )

WAI!!!!

please don't beat me in my sleep with purple polka-dotted froggies and then freeze me to death with your all-mighty climate control, everyone!

X.x;;;;

I know its been two weeks since I last updated . . . mou . . . u.u;;

my kaasan sorta went nuclear on me 'cause I was on the computer so much . . .

(long story short: she took the mouse away last Sunday and I didn't (still don't) know how to work the computer with just the keyboard ;.; sigh u.u;; . . . and I usually write the new chappies on Sundays . . . mouuuuuuuuuu . . . )

so that's my lil explanation . . . I really threw a hissy fit about it, too . . . so this whole 'inner peace' thing I've had going was thrown off—(which is why I didn't update this past week, despite actually having the TIME to for once x.x;;; )—gomen ne, minna-san u.u... . . . sigh . . .

::shrugs::

BUT now that that's over with, on with the chappie!

::goes into an insane happy dance at being able to write a new chappie for everyone!::

-n . . . . n-

lol!! n.n;;

Thankies are at the end . . .

(::snickers:: . . . muahahaha . . . this chapter is EVIL INCARNATE :3 . . . yay! -n.n- )

(xxxxxxx)

**Tuesday morning**

(xxxxxxxxxxxxx)

_. . . beforehand . . ._

(xxxxxxx)

But he could see those jade orbs flicker back to him, and winked saucily at the teen, grinning smugly . . . finally satisfied when a barely discernable tinge of pink dusted the creamy skin . . .

He chuckled as the boy, without another word, dove whole-heartedly into the highly interesting act of taking notes . . . while Toujin continued to relax, staring out the window past the fire-red locks of hair and into the tree lined front courtyard of the academy . . .

Mnm . . . this was going to be an interesting year . . .

(xxxxxxx)

(xxxxxxx)

Chapter Fourteen

_Dominance_

(xxxxxxx)

Tuesday, midday

(xxxxxxx)

Ah, lunch.

Quite a relaxing time for the hardworking students of Meiou High . . .

( . . . mostly . . . )

Pointedly ignoring—(at least in the beginning)—the less-than innocent gaze meticulously surveying him, Shuichi was very interested in his book, waiting—(on a now unconscious level)—until those golden eyes at last looked away, to retrieve his lunch from under the desk.

The rest of the class had already started, purposefully avoiding two certain seats in the back row . . .

Not that Shuichi was the reason—(OH, no)—

It was simply because of the fact that the girls did not wish for those sly yellow eyes to focus on them . . . from what they'd heard from Toumo-chan, at least . . . the poor girl, blushing sharply as she finally admitted what the new boy had said that had made her act so flustered . . .

Earning him sharp, disapproving glares—(or calculating, pensive glances)—from the other schoolgirls sitting around; dressed primly in their red suit-skirts.

So they kept their distance; not wanting to anger the odd youth by disturbing the object of his attention . . . quickly averting their wandering eyes and returning to speak of other things . . .

Netsuki seemed . . . dangerous . . .

. . . which had a WIDE range of differing . . . opinions . . .

( . . . in THEIR minds, at least . . . )

_(xxxxxxx)_

Toujin's lips twitched in a shadow of a smile.

Calm gold eyes absently traveled over the redhead's fair, concentrated reading face, taking in every detail and committing it to memory.

_Hn-hmn, **very** attractive . . ._

A sly look at last spilled onto his face as he leaned over, his unusually tall form gracefully moving so as to read over the redhead's shoulder from his new position angled behind . . .

_—this youko, well-known to storytellers and historians alike, has somehow weaseled his way into history . . . the famous 'Mount Kurama' (located in northern Kyoto) which has drawn many visitors due to its religious significance to the origin of Reiki and a sacred site for Buddhists—_

Carefully, Toujin shifted a bit more—(but without a sound to betray him)—leaning forward, his elegant left hand now coming to rest carefully on the back of the redhead's chair . . . mindful not to touch the crimson locks and disturb the oblivious reader . . .

—_the white horse that guided Gantei (a student of the high priest Ganjin in 770 A.D.E.) to the summit; where he was afterward inspired to build the Kurama-dera (temple); was said to be strangely mythical, an animal that continuously hid from him, one he described as "peculiarly evasive for such a genial species" and "possessed curiously soundless footfalls, along with a gleaming white coat that seemed to present a silvery luster at times— "_

Completely caught up in the book, the redhead didn't notice as the tall student in back of him came closer, so as to better identify the characters retelling the story of long ago . . . ( . . . the oblivious Shuichi didn't catch the soft, wry smile that was winding its way onto the elder teen's face, either . . . )

—_legends also tell of a mythical spirit said to dwell atop the mountain; claiming supernatural powers, a quirky streak of humor, and exceptional fighting skills. The white-haired King of these spirits (or the Tengu), called Sojobo, was also rumored to have taught Minamoto Yoshitsune (a hero of the twelfth century) in battle strategy, martial arts, and swordsmanship. _

_Whether or not this is a descendent of the legendary Youko Kurama, we, without further proof, cannot say—_

" . . . an interesting book . . . " he murmured quietly in Shuichi's ear, amusedly aware of the teen beneath tensing in surprise—(at his mind finally returning to current times and registering the other's presence)—even though pale yellow eyes simply slipped shut in response . . . the taller youth moved his face closer, now only a breath away from unblemished skin . . . "—have you a weakness . . . for youko . . .?"

The interrupted scholar didn't even turn around . . . but—not a moment later—a calm, cold voice filtered up from behind those red locks of hair shading his pretty eyes from view . . .

"I do not wish for your company, Netsuki-kun. Please leave." he stated, the melodic alto quiet and stoic—accentuating the honorific 'kun' with a slight edge . . . Toujin chuckled, ignoring the 'request,' and instead moved ahead even more, one silver forelock appearing in the redhead's peripheral vision now, astride of his face . . . the teen's warm breath just centimeters away from one soft cheek . . .

"Iie, I don't think so . . . . . . what was your name? I don't believe I caught it, friend . . . "Toujin returned, the devious smirk on his face reflecting deeply in the smooth tone. The redhead stiffened further, finally turning his head ever so slightly, jade eyes narrowed as he found glinting golden ones close enough to count the different angles of light shining off of their surfaces . . . a sleek, small mouth—currently quirked up in a half-grin of triumph (at having him reach the point where he could no longer ignore the irritating silver teen)—far too close to his own . . .

Unfazed, he continued to glare steadily into the other's eyes, his jade orbs taking on a warning tint.

"—Kurama." Those too-near eyes widened in the slightest, but then . . . a small chuckle escaped the elder. Oddly enough, Toujin drew back, placing one hand loosely on his hip—faintly muscular shoulders following the relaxed movement with ease—now half-smiling down at him, no hint of dark mirth resting in the saffron depths . . .

"Is that so." Smirking in bemusement, he shook his head, and the youth indicated himself with one elegant wave of his hand.

"—rhen you should call me Youko." he said, pure and undisguised merriment ringing behind his keen eyes . . . Kurama cocked one thin eyebrow at him, but the youth continued to laugh quietly, shaking his head . . .

". . . some friends of mine back in Osaka used to call me that . . . "

Fleetingly, Kurama thought of his past, but brushed it aside . . . Youko grinned, a tinge of narcissism found in his countenance when he glanced to the side, fingering the silver locks resting on his shoulder before returning that gaze down to Kurama.

" . . . said I looked like him . . . "

Albeit reluctantly, a small, twitching smile found its way onto the redhead's face, soon followed by pleasant silence as he laughed inside, bowing his head so as to keep the other from seeing the resolve melt a bit from within his once-icy green depths . . .

Really . . .

**(xxxxxxx)**

Tuesday afternoon

**(xxxxxxx)**

The bell rang; freeing them.

Teens of both genders, clad in grey and white sailor suit-skirts—(or black pants-uniforms)—spilled out into the simple front courtyard of the high school . . .

Well, all but a few . . .

The delinquents hung back from the mob rushing out—perhaps showing they didn't give a d—n about the school and its schedule . . .

Strutting down the less-crowded hallway towards the entrance, a short, dark youth bumped into someone far taller than he . . . the dull, bored red gaze sparking into a dangerous glare in an instant, he turned his glare towards the teen . . . and, upon recognizing the offender, curled his lip in distaste before offering a word of advice—

"Watch where you're going, kisama!!" he spat, eyeing the tall boy as the deep purple eyes settled down on him . . . from behind long strands of thin ebony draped messily over his face, the fine hair moving with the slightest bit of wind. A detached voice drifted down to him as the youth's eyes and mind had wandered elsewhere—namely, the doors at the end of the hall, leading to freedom . . .

( . . . and . . . )

"Gomen ne, I didn't see you down there, Imouta-kun." The tall boy remarked, voice distant—and not fully taking into account the possible repercussions of his next statement . . . "You're so short, I didn't realize—"

"Nani!" Hiei growled, reaching up to forcefully grab the collar of the other's uniform jacket, bringing him down to eye level in an instant's time . . . the fiery crimson eyes burning into cool, deep pools of violet . . . "—say that again—" Hiei hissed, refusing to blink, and not relinquishing the eyes of his opponent. The boy seemed to return to the present at the rough physical contact; and his gaze took in the sparking garnets across from him unwaveringly.

"A bit testy today, ne, Imouta-kun?" his face moved closer—(voluntarily, on his part)—the lean youth's voice turning to whispered ice even as a shade of intense red floated over his dark pupils, his small tongue flicking out to dust off his lips before he spoke, scarcely a few inches away from the other . . . "If you do not release your grip, I'm afraid it may become too much for me to resist—"Hiei snorted, getting the all-too-obvious hint, and thrust his hand to the side, letting the garment fly free, the taller pulled along with it—

The spiky-haired youth gazed down with disdain at the teen inadvertently flung against the lockers . . . then hned non-commitingly and turned away, heading out the open doors of the school.

The abused boy lifted his head when he knew the shorter was gone, an eerie reddish tint still reflecting in his eyes from under that dark curtain of hair . . . the previous incident forgotten in less than a moment, as his mind returned . . .

_. . . today . . ._

**(xxxxxxx)**

Walking down the streets with even, paced steps, the tall, nimble teen strolled across the cement, eventually to the other end of the city . . . and, not ashamed of his poverty—(even though he lived in the slums of Tokyo with only his older sister)—he went the short way . . . through the mansions.

Crossing through the neighborhood was easy enough, despite the curious gazes from residents of the area—who took one look at him and then returned to their work, able to tell that he was merely passing through . . .

Coming to the first city block, he saw a red-clad girl strolling softly towards him from up ahead, her brown bag thumping brightly against the front folds of her crimson skirt. As they neared, he smiled simply at her—(reflecting his inner mood)—the corners of his lips turning upwards in the slightest . . . she returned the kind look after a moment of gentle hesitation, her red orbs disappearing into warm half-moons as she passed him by with a pleasant nod . . . the girl's well-groomed, sea-green hair bouncing a bit over petite shoulders as she continued down along the street he had just walked . . .

The teen smirked slightly to himself after she had passed, inwardly glad the girl hadn't become nervous or starry-eyed—(he was known quite well at school—among the female half, at least—for his looks; being poetically dark, quiet and handsome)—and his female classmates were all so shallow; flirting shamelessly, always seeking for a chance to pet the long, ebony strands or gain a rare smile from him . . . his smirk grew wider, and he shook his head . . . the long, delicate tresses rippling out in waves with the change in wind . . .

If only they knew.

**(xxxxxxx)**

Leaning under the shadow of a tree—(near the outer wall so as to remain hidden)—deep purple eyes were trained intently on the entrance, waiting . . . hoping that he hadn't missed him . . .

There was a large crowd of girls at the tree directly in the path of the doors, and the ebony teen cocked one long, thin black brow in wonder and no small amount of amusement.

At last the doors opened, revealing a rather attractive pair . . . both with long, lovely hair—one a crimson mane, the other full strands of silver . . .

The redhead sweatdropped at the sight of the mob of girls. The taller of the two—(taking into account that the jade-eyed teen was quite tall himself)—murmured something to him, and Shuichi looked immediately to his companion in astonishment. The youth nodded in confirmation, then turned to the girls fluttering around—(before his 'friend' could say a word)—who were currently whispering in anxious voices. The boy with gold eyes smiled—though his gaze was tinted with a shadowed intent—and walked calmly over to some random girl, bending to lock her eyes with his and speaking in low, undoubtedly charming tones . . .

The spy under the tree had to hold back a dark chuckle when she nodded excitedly, absolutely beaming . . . the silver-haired boy straightened, then changed admirers, now talking to a primpy blonde, thin as a doorstop and looking quite starved, indeed. She batted her fake eyelashes flirtingly, and the teen concealed by plant life's shadow felt his stomach turn at the sight . . . he looked away; then noting with some surprise as he caught a flicker of crimson locks disappearing behind the building . . .

He cast a hurried glance back to the school—only the girls and their insincere flatterer remained. Feeling his stomach jump, he quickly followed the redheaded youth, through the back streets and over walls . . . eventually, though, they came to a halt—the redhead staring up to the sky—at the edge of some narrow alley. . . and now the dark, fine-haired teen came softly up behind the other . . . taking this rare chance to . . .

" . . . Shuichi-chan . . . "he murmured tenderly, reaching out and touching the other boy's left shoulder lightly, feeling the silky fire-strands resting there for a moment—before the red-haired youth whirled around, his jade eyes already widening in surprise . . .

" . . . Shuichi . . . "The green orbs tilted upwards as the lean youth stepped closer . . . violet locking with them . . . the red brows narrowed in wary puzzlement—

"Who—" he was cut off before he could continue, as the other's mouth had sealed firmly onto his, the lean arms falling around him, pulling him close as those thin lips plundered the redhead's own . . . eyes unbelievably large, the teen tried to shove him off, pushing against the chest clothed in ebony . . .

(—that black uniform . . . )

"Mn!" Shuichi grunted, finally managing—(thankful for his years of training)—to free himself from the tall, thinner teen and thrusting the other away. Panting, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, in aversion to the action . . . thankful it hadn't gone any further than mere lip-to-lip contact—twin emeralds carefully watched his assailant . . . the vigilant gaze sharpened further to detect any sign of sudden movement . . .

The lean, ebony-haired boy took a step forward, and, involuntarily, Shuichi took one back.

He heard a chuckle, and the already-thin green orbs grew tenfold in intensity, a silent threat . . . one that the other paid no mind to . . .

A thin hand reached for him, but the redhead jerked back, unaware that the chain-link fence—the edge of the alley— was behind him, until he felt the dull braided metal press against the back of his uniform's shirt . . .

Again, he stepped forward, and Shuichi, with no other place to go, made a choice.

He sprinted, making to run around the other before he knew what was happening . . .

(—alas, but for the easy readability of the move . . . )

A brutally strong arm caught him straight in the gut, and Shuichi choked, falling to the ground, cradling his stomach and coughing. A black presence drifted over his shoulders as the other youth bent down to him, dark hair falling like a shroud, mixing with bright locks of fire . . . a cold hand wrapped around the front of his shoulders as the teen knelt down to him . . . whilst the other delved behind his neck, stroking the crimson strands feather-lightly and sending chills up the redhead's spine . . .

He shivered.

The other laughed quietly at the slight quake, not pausing in his unwelcome caress for even a moment, taking advantage of the pain still lingering from earlier and the arm draped across his torso . . .

". . . so beautiful . . . "he murmured in a soft undertone, his purple eyes closing as he leaned against the redhead's left side, arms tightening almost painfully, and whispering into his ear . . . " . . . Shuu-chan . . . "

At that, the odd, affectionate and familiar way in which he was addressing him finally registered and brought the redhead back from wherever his mind had been vacationing to . . .

"—KISAMA!! Get AWAY from me!!" Ignoring the sore ache in his stomach at the movement, Shuichi wrenched out of the other's grasp, pulling to the side and using a trash can at the wall closest to him—(on his left)—to force himself up, green eyes glaring chips of ice at the other. The ebony one remained on the ground, his arms now hanging limply by his sides, face cast down and eyes shadowed by fallen strands of black . . .

He then looked up, and Shuichi felt a cold wave of fear lap up at him . . .

"Shu-chan . . . is that anything to call someone who loves you as much as I?" he spoke slowly, rising to his feet, never moving those dark, purple orbs—now overly tinted with lucid vermillion—from watchful green ones . . . and he continued . . .

"Shu-chan, Shu-chan . . . "He shook his head, sending the thin, messy locks dangling over his face into the wind, until they settled down once again and he was staring at the red-haired teen, unwaveringly . . . from between a few fine strands of black . . .

"You could at least call me by name . . . . . . Karasu . . . Karasu Ijiru . . . my itoushi—"

**(xxxxxxx)**

::sighs dreamily::

if Karasu weren't so demented and evil, he'd be a bishonen!

-n . . . . n-

lol!!

eheh n.n;; . . .

::shrugs::

:3

and Youko's cool, ne?

lol, I like writing him . . . so much fun! -n.n-

as for clarification on that lil 'reference book' thing, the 'quotes' I put in about Youko Kurama—meaning the 'secretive nature' and 'silvery luster of the horse's coat'—don't exist, but the names and all the other facts are real . . . there IS a Mount Kurama (as well as a Mount Hiei) in Japan . . . cool coincidence, ne, minna?

. . . as for 'Minamoto', too?

A hero of the 12th century taught fighting by the Tengu?!

-n . . . . . n-

I guess we all know where Togashi got 'Minamino Shuichi's name from, right?

n.n;;;

lol, maybe not . . .

::shrugs again::

ANYWAY, gosh I liked this chapter . . . it gets cool again in the next one!

jus wait up, minna!

I'm aiming to update again next weekend!

::locks the door to the computer room so her mom can't steal the mouse again . . . eh . . . ::

n.n;;

lol, jaa, everyone!

- Kita-chan :3

PS

Arigatou . . .

_Kitsune Kit (::beams, and tosses Kit-chan a 'shadowy figure' plushie of both Youko and Karasu:: -n.n- yay! you guessed it! . . . joy! . . . happiness! . . . rapture!! :3 lol, good job! anyway, well . . . as you probably saw in this chapter, Youko's going to be more of a 'friend' type of relationship . . . ::shrugs:: it's just his natural tendency to be all seductive and sensual, ne? n.n;; eheh . . . ::shrugs:: hope you liked the new chapter! thanks for the review! sorry for the wait u.u;; . . . )_

_Yaoi Addict (oh!! ::pats her on the head:: u.u;; . . . well, I hope you're no longer confused, either ;.; . . . sigh u.u;; . . . AND GIMMIE THAT COOKIE!! ::attacks!!:: -n.n- lol, j/k there, chica . . . and thanks for reviewing, Addict-san! (eheh n.n;; . . . that was a fun nickname to write . . . ::sweatdrops:: ) thanks again, and gomen for the late update! ( u.u; ) )_

_Kooriya Yui (aha! I think you're the second person to actually translate that . . . ::sweatdrops:: ah, me and my Japanese dictionary (all three of 'em X.x;;; ORO! x.x;; ) lol, I tend to obsess . . . ::shrugs:: ah, well . . . but it's all to the general good, ne? -n . . . n- (eheh . . . n.n;; ) thanks for the compliment, Yui-chan and for reviewing! sumanai for the late-ness this time u.u... . . . )_

_Queen of the Paperclips (YAY!! JOY!! ::throws Paperclip-chan a 'shadowy figure' plushie of both Youko and Karasu:: hope you like these, too! . . . wish I had real plushies, though ;.; never even seen one for real . . . sigh . . . I'm so deprived ;.;''' . . . ah, well x.x;; . . . LOL!! ::tight huggles!:: THANKS, chica!! -n . . . . . n- I've never written mystery before, so that lil comment you made meant a lot! thankies soo much!! -n . . . n- arigatou gozaimasu for that and for reviewing, Paperclip-chan! -n.n- . . . (I liked your quote, too . . . ::snickers:: . . . lol . . . thankies again, and sorry to keep you waiting so long! u.u;; . . . )_

_Vampire Ifurita (::biiiiig smile, then she flings 'shadowy figure' plushies of both Youko and Karasu at her:: YAY!! third person to guess so far! -n . . . n- joyness! -n.n- lol, isn't Youko fun, though? :3 I like writing him, Hiei and Karasu . . . ::snickers evilly:: they're so much fun! -n.n- interesting personalities, ne? n.n;; eheh . . . ah, yes, and as for the supposed 'YK' in there, did you mean 'Youko Kurama' or a pairing with 'Youko x Kurama'? no offense meant, I'm jus asking for clarification, Ita-chan! ::peace sign!:: :3 . . . ah, yes, and have you read 'Paradise 6', too? . . . a bit sad that it ended, but I liked how Nanase-san wrapped it up, since she wasn't going to write anymore . . . it was cool hearing her plan if she had continued it! -n.n- lol, thanks for the review, chica! gomen nasai for the incredible tardiness of updation u.u;; . . . )_

_Nite Nite (AW!!! a Hiei oreo!! n.n;; . . . (actually . . . that . . . would sort-of work . . . what with the black cloak, black hair, white highlights and white scarf . . . X.x;; wak!! ) lol, cool review, Nite-chan! sorry you had to wait so long . . . gwah . . . mothers . . . X.X;;;; ERK!! thanks for the fun comments, Nite-chanhope those two weeks was enough for you to get over your illy-ness, though! -n.n- )_

_PV2 Day (meh. don't worry about not reviewing for chapter twelve . . . after all, I missed updating last week, ne? eheh . . . sumanai u.u... . . . ANYWAY, too bad you didn't get to go as Hiei . . . THAT would have been fun ::laughs evilly:: imagine if HE heard that, oro . . . n.n;; . . . ::blinks:: aw, sweet! grim reaper attacks the military! –n . . . . . n- lol!!! n.n;; eheh . . . I'm glad you liked the tree part two chappie ago! -n . . . n- I went over that again and again to get it just right, you know? thankies! -n.n- glad it didn't seem TOO exaggerated; truth be told, I've never slipped on wet grass while wielding a katana and fighting Kurama x.x;; . . . probably a GOOD thing, ne? n.n;; otherwise I'd be admitted to the mental institution or something . . . ::mumbles incoherent insane words:: ;3 lol . . . and, as you probably know by now, yup-pers! -n.n- new student's Youko! -n.n- YAY! . . . yes, yes, the evil seductive youko is sooo much fun to write :3 yay for me! -n.n- truly enjoying myself out here in the backwoods of PA, Day-san! -n.n- . . . cool, a sword magazine! -n.n- I've always wanted to take some form of martial arts or something like that . . . ::shrugs:: a lil late, what with me graduating in less than two years and such (drat! ;.; ) . . . ah, well . . . maybe I'll take it in college or something . . . mmm . . . NAMING swords, you say . . . ? ::ponders:: hmm . . . I'll have to think on that one! -n.n- thankies for the 'useless fact', lol! :3 I appreciate it, chica! . . . Mn, I don't know what yours is from (sadly u.u;; ) . . . ::glances up at what she's just written!:: OO; GWAH!! GOMEN FOR THE LENGTH!! X.x;; oro . . . I need to finish these and update before tomorrow . . . again, thanks for the review, and sorry for the late-ness! u.u;; . . . )_

_What2callmyself (ah, it's ok! n.n;; lol, don't worry about it, but I'm glad you tried! -n . . . n- lol, evil computer problems, ne? I understand . . . mine's been slightly evil, too . . . eheh. n.n;;; it works, then freezes, then works, then freezes and I have to restart the program every few minutes . . . THANKFULLY that only happens when I'm using the program to make an anime video, but GOSH it's annoying! X.x;; ORO!! -.-'' sigh . . . oh! ::pats her on the head:: I hope the candy made you feel better, What2-chan! -n.n- . . . glad you liked the hot chocolate, though . . . n.n;; . . . sorry for the INSANELY LONG interval between updates this time, chica! ( u.u;; ) but thanks fr reviewing! :3 arigatou! )_

_shadow priestess (hai, hai, my grammar's bad . . . at least it got the main idea across . . . right? X.x;; oro . . . gomen ne, I jus wanted to try it . . . u.u;; sigh . . . ah, yes! I've read the new chapter of Mobious, too . . . cute Yukina thing you've got going on! n.n;; lol, Hiei slipped up on that one! :3 lol, if was fun to read, chica! . . . nooo! evil shadowy figures cannot die!! X.X;; I NEED THEM FOR THE PLOT!! NOOOOO!!!! ::gets konked over the head and falls unconscious:: x.x;; oro . . . es tut mir leid . . . for the tardiness of the update, shadow-chan x.x;; oro . . . suman ne ( -.n lol) )_

_Hiei's Gothic Angel (wai! feel better, chica! x.x;; I've been a bit under the weather this week . . . no fever, though! -n.n- yay! then I don't have to miss school and have to make it up and do test over and other such stressful things that come as a result of getting ill . . . ::shrugs:: :3 thanks for the review, though, Angel-chan! sorry for the late-ness u.u;; . . . (I'm also reading your fic about Hiei's 'suicidal tendencies' . . . cool so far, chica! I like the 'romantic tension' you're got going . . . hope it all turns out well, though . . . you can guess which pair I'm rooting for, ne? n.n;; lol . . . ) )_

_Dragonflyr (oh! you're reading this?! X.x;; wah! cooness! n.n;; lol, suman ne . . . ::winks:: hai, hai, two guesses right! :3 yay for you! lol, so many people have guessed it's him, it's sort sad on my part x.x;; grrah . . . X.X;; glad you're reading, though! I'm reading your, too . . . my reviewer is evil and I don't know how to stop the pop-up blocker that stops me from sending reviews ;.; . . . grr . . . wow, but thanks, Flyr-san! -n . . . n- considering your very creative Kurama Insert You, I feel very honored! -n.n- thankies for the cool review! sorry for the wait! ( u.u;; ) )_

_Sate (n.n;; lol, 'tis ok . . . I can't review much anymore, and What2-chan is having issues with it, as well . . . ::shrugs:: thanks for taking the time to leave me a comment (despite the evil __consecutive coincidences of punishment and illness x.x;; oro . . . ) sorry for the tardiness, Sate-chan! u.u;; . . . )_

YAY!!

UPDATE TIME!!

-n . . . . . n-

Joy!

Rapture!

Killer Ojigi plants!!

. . . Oo;;

uh . . . . . . . . yea . . . . . . . . ._ riiiight_ . . . . bye now!

n.n;;

lol, but seriously, trying reading the fic . . .

'The Walk to the Ring'

it's pretty high up on my favorite stories list ('cause it was recently published), it's about Kurama and Hiei (NOT a shonen ai) but funny as all –(whatever you want to call it! :3 )—lol!

honestly, it hilarious!

. . . something between the time Hiei woke up and when our two favorites demons appeared back in the arena to watch Yuusuke and Kuwabara's fights . . . it's about their walk back to the ring!

n.n;;

lol, who would have guessed, ne? ( sigh -.-''' )

very funny . . . but I'm done now.

( n.n;;; )

update time, minna-san!

hope you found this chapter semi-okay, and that you may choose to leave a lil comment for me!

your support is very much appreciated; minna-san and silent readers alike!

lol!

-n.n-

Peace out!

:3


	15. Secrets in Shadow

**AU – Tatakoe koukou wo shusseki shimasu: Attending Tatakoe High**

( in Japanese class we just got to verbs and grammar, eheh . . . n.n;;;; hey, I tried to correct it! ;.;'' . . . those of you who know Nihongo, please correct me if it's still wrong . . . : sighs at self -.-; )

_(alternate universe, shounen ai) Kurama and Hiei are normal humans attending regular, everyday human school. NOT YOUR USUAL SCHOOL 'AU' FIC. This time they DON'T go to the same high school . . . pairings; KurHiei, YusKei, KuwYuk, KoeBot._

Shounen ai (perhaps some yaoi) eventually. n.n;;

BE WARNED if you don't like it, ok, minna-san? n.n

Pairings: Kurama x Hiei, Yuusuke x Keiko, Kuwabara x Yukina, Koenma x Botan

Disclaimer: Kita doesn't own yuyu. So don't you/you sue, onegai. :3

Semi-important notes . . .

1- Yuusuke, Keiko and Kuwabara's school is still Sarayashiki Junior High (Yuusuke, Kuwabara and Keiko are all fourteen).

2- Hiei and Karasu's school is Tatakoe High (the next step for students in Sarayashiki Junior High).

3- Kurama, Youko, Yukina and Botan's school is Meiou High. (Hiei, Kurama, Karasu, Yukina and Botan are all sixteen; Youko is seventeen).

: takes a deep, deep deeep breath…. :

Ok. : serious face :

Gomen nasai, minna-san. I know I have not updated in over two months. –'

That's my fault. I've had a lot going on, and just took my finals for Trigonometry and Physics (both accelerated…sigh…. ;.; ) on top of that, my German III final, which carries 10 of my grade, as do all finals in my high school . . .

So I've been a little busy.

Add Thanksgiving and Christmas time with family, and that's basically how I got off-track.

: shrugs : u.u;;;

Truly, I am sorry . . . sighness . . . I'll honestly try to get back to updating on a two-week or weekly basis, but I make no promises, as I have to start worrying about getting into a good college right about now . . . gwah! X.x;;

: nod : But, as for now, here's a new chapter for you guys. :3

Thankies are at the end . . . but first . . .

: flings Kurama Shuichi, Kurama Youko, Hiei, Karasu (to those who consider him a bishounen n.n;;; ) and any other imaginable anime bishounen plushies (i.e. Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, Kouga . . . : thinks : . . . Yuusuke, Kenshin, Sanosuke . . . : promptly runs out of good examples Xx;; : erk.) out to Kooriya Yui, Nite Nite, Dragonflyr, Volpe DI Spirito, Kitsune Kit, shadow priestess, Queen of the Paperclips, Sate, Vampire Ifurita, anonymous, Firekitti, Squal D. Zolo, maliks-dragon, Nefertiri, Curious Dream Weaver, Lady SilveRose and YokoYoukai :

n . . . . . n

And now onto the freaky Karasu-ness! ;3 lol

( n.n;;; )

(xxxxxxx)

T**uesday afternoon **

(xxxxxxxxxxxxx)

_. . . beforehand . . ._

(xxxxxxx)

"Shuu-chan, Shuu-chan . . . " He shook his head, sending the thin, messy raven-colored locks dangling over his face into the wind, until they settled down once again and he was staring at the redhead, unwaveringly . . . deep purple orbs tinted with bright scarlet . . .

"You could at least call me by name . . . . . . Karasu . . . Karasu Ijiru . . . my itoushi—"

(xxxxxxx)

(xxxxxxx)

Chapter Fifteen

_Secrets in Shadow_

(xxxxxxx)

. . . those violet eyes never left him, the floating red capturing his soul and keeping his frozen form from making any attempt to escape . . . even as the bearer of the gaze shifted, now standing, a dark, somewhat vague smirk playing on Karasu's features—as he stepped closer . . .

" . . . itoushi . . . " the voice—despite the intensely soft tone—snapped him back, and Kurama reacted to the quiet murmur by lifting his head as far away from the approaching teen as possible, pressing his stiffened back against the wall behind him . . . right hand still grasping the lip of the open trash can to remain aloft, his sharp, pointed nose protesting to the rank variety of smells drifting up from below his almost-trembling hand—(on which he kept a hard clamp of control). Green irises narrowed, drawing in the whites of his eyes until the emerald gaze conveyed no fear of any kind . . .

( . . . no . . . . . . . it was too well hidden, now . . . )

The redhead's shrewd gaze flicked over his surroundings, calculating any possible chance . . .

_. . . . and Karasu stepped closer . . ._

Jade irises narrowed more in thought, intelligence drawn inward . . .

_. . . the deep reddish purple orbs faintly observing him—with a kind of detached rapture . . ._

There must be something . . .

_. . . silky black hair, almost like a sin, waving carelessly behind . . ._

**Anything . . .**

_. . . closer . . ._

Abruptly, his eyes widened again; firstly upon stumbling upon a solution, and secondly from realizing that his opponent was now less than a mere arm's length away—the ebony-clad teen reached out a hand and Kurama reacted, pushing his heavy ballast out in front of him, the dented metal cylinder falling towards the ground, letting a low 'thud' as it hit, spilling the half-decomposed contents out into the alleyway—the putrid mass caught Karasu's legs, causing the tall, lithe body to fall backward onto his rear at the unexpected impact . . . he looked up after a moment, bright, deranged crimson alight in his eyes . . . now searching, seeking for a sign of . . .

Kurama had bolted the moment the can had been released from his strong fingers, jumping over boxes and other assorted items, left hand shielding his aching stomach from any further pain . . . away . . . he had to get away . . . he could see the street beyond, he had to—

A sharp whistle of wind past his ear stopped him in his tracks, and a few strands of fiery scarlet drifted lazily free . . . as the object, whatever it was, had barely managed to miss his left forelock . . .

Looking up at the wall in front of him, where the small pitch-black and razor-sharp 'star' had embedded itself—his heart skipped with fear—and Kurama turned, quickly glancing over his shoulder with slightly dilated emeralds. Karasu was standing near the overturned trash can, a sparking anger found inside his normally cool irises as the thin, elegant hands artfully grasped—

Another whinged past his ear—on the OTHER side, this time—and Kurama couldn't help it as an involuntary gasp escaped him, as he dodged, an instinct, to now face the other . . . drawing back, if only a step, once again . . .

Raging crimson, nearly enveloping the original violet, burned silently into him, as the youth strolled forward, at a quicker pace than before.

All too soon Karasu was directly in front of him, and Kurama narrowed his eyes, glaring defiantly up at the taller teen, who smirked in response and delved a quick hand into the crimson tresses, knotting in the soft hair, the other grasping the left side of Shuichi's head roughly, and—without hesitation—thrust it into the hard concrete wall behind . . .

A cry escaped him as hot pain began to throb from the back of his head . . . and instantly that open mouth was covered by the other's—the all-too-unwelcome act dimmed in his mind as Kurama's world was currently spinning from the harsh blow . . . vaguely, he was aware of Karasu's hands trailing down his uniform, finding the hidden buttons and swiftly undoing them . . .

Half of his consciousness was brought back—(rather unmercifully)—as he felt icy fingers hook underneath the white tee shirt . . . lightly dancing up and across his bare chest . . .

The red-haired teen cried out, raising a hand instinctively, only the base instinct to get away managing to travel through his muddled head . . .

The ebony youth, despite his 'distraction'—easily caught the intended hit, and the warring colors of purple and red caught dazed green, then glinting at the beauty and pain mixed into his 'itoushi's eyes . . .

"That's not nice, Shuu-chan . . . " he muttered lowly, tracing a hand up the redhead's pale cheek, enticing a shiver from the softer teen, and Karasu gave a twisted smile, moving up to take those too-tempting lips in another unwanted kiss . . . his left hand drifting to the reddish trousers his 'love' wore, brushing lightly against the obstructing material . . .

Kurama gasped against the filthy mouth dominating his, feeling the cold, shivery touch at his lower abdomen, and shut his eyes tightly; mind nearly there, but body still scrambling to recover from the blow to the back of his head . . .

Then . . .

Karasu was gone?

As he was no longer pinned against the wall—(courtesy of his stalker)—the redhead abruptly slid to the ground, his blurry vision taking in a small figure standing directly in front of him—(profile view)—glaring with concealed anger at the spidery youth sprawled on the open alleyway, finally speaking when normal pure-violet eyes met his dark garnet ones.

"Hn . . . I knew you were a bas—rd and a prostitute, Karasu—did _those_ lead to the rapist?"

_. . . 'hn' . . . ? . . . . ._

A low chuckle from the much taller teen drew Kurama's bleary attention from his rescuer—(not registering the fact that the smaller was only wielding his _sheathed_ katana at the moment . . . )—

"Oh, Imouta-kun, you've met my itoushi?" Karasu purred . . . and, although Kurama couldn't have seen it—(in his condition)—the dark one's crimson glare flicked to the side, taking in the unkempt appearance and cloudy verdant gaze, then settled back on his foe . . .

"—ch. Somehow I find that hard to believe."

Karasu's eyes narrowed at the response, and the purple irises gradually drifted back to Shuichi . . . but Hiei stepped in front of the redhead, blocking him from the 'crow's line of vision. Slowly, dark eyes drifted up to meet the younger's crimson gaze . . . they kept eye contact for a tense couple of minutes, neither blinking . . . until Karasu finally looked away, clutching his arm where the hard wooden sheath had hit him, then standing . . . and somewhat limped away, sharp red eyes never leaving him even as somewhat-clearing jades took in the unfolding scene . . .

And at last he was gone, disappearing out into the dark alley beyond. . .

**(xxxxxxx)**

Sighing, Hiei rotated slowly, kneeling down and balancing flawlessly on the tips of his black school shoes, meeting the redhead's slowly comprehending gaze with his own stoic one, taking in the slightly dilated pupils—

_—ch . . ._

_( . . . only a minor concussion, by the looks of it . . . )_

"Kurama." Shuichi slowly blinked at the familiar sound, then a crooked smile came onto his face as he finally recognized him, most of the redhead's mind clicking back at the ability to see the other's face—and actually _recalling_ what Karasu had called him . . .

"Imouta-san . . . " Hiei's left eye twitched slightly—as he leaned in—(annoyance carefully chiseled within garnet depths)—nearly nose-to-nose with the redhead, staring deep into those greenish eyes as he thought of his 'real' last name with growing irritation . . .

_. . . Karasu, you **bas—rd** . . . you **d—n** bas—rd . . ._

He hadn't meant for the odd redhead to find out his name . . .

Ever.

"Ch. Don't trouble your memory." he commented nonchalantly, pulling back and standing, tucking his sword back into its hidden place, not meeting the other's eyes while he took in their surroundings . . . hoping that the other teen would forget that d—n adoptive surname . . .

The redhead smiled warmly, still a bit woozy from the slight mental trauma . . .

"Imouta-san . . . Kono anata no namae wa desu ka ( this is your name )?" Quick as lightning, garnet eyes snapped back to him, flickering with unasked-for rage . . . and Kurama's smile dimmed a bit.

"Iie (no )." the short teen nearly spat, his voice dripping with revulsion as his glare intensified tenfold, in annoyance at both ending up giving his name out himself and not having a choice about it . . . tch. Like he would stand for being called 'Imouta'; outside of school . . . " . . . Watashi wa Hiei desu (I'm Hiei )."

Then the older teen's smile returned, upon registering that it was his given name . . .

. . . hmn. . . Hiei, so that was it . . . ?

—he rather liked the sound . . .

Shuichi's countenance fairly glowed, pushing himself up as his polite and composed train of thought finally began to return . . .

"Arigatou ( thank you ) . . . Hiei-san." Garnets drew to their corners, taking in the grateful smile on the other's softly radiant face . . .

"Tch. If you lost, where would that leave me." Hiei turned, now walking down the alleyway . . . silently slow, waiting for Shuichi to follow him . . .

As they walked, side-by-side, the redhead couldn't help but feel as though . . . his heart was much lighter . . .

(—perhaps it was a lingering affect of the recent delirium, ne?)

**(xxxxxxx)**

When they arrived at Kurama's house, the redhead invited him in, but the other only scoffed, dismissing the polite offer without a second thought.

"I'm in your debt . . . " the jade-eyed one murmured, softly . . . because his rapidly-returning sense of pride wasn't too happy with accepting the fact that he had needed to be rescued, of all things . . . gods, what his sensei would have thought—

Shuichi heard a snort sound from his left, where the shorter was leaning against the doorway, and looked back at the spiky-haired one, an elegant hand pausing on the door handle he had just unlocked . . .

Hiei turned his head away, effortlessly avoiding the curious jade gaze . . . and spoke.

"Stay away from her, then." Slender red brows knit in confusion, and Kurama spoke after a moment of thought.

"Nani ( what ). . . . ?" when all he was met with was silence, he pressed on, " . . . dare ka ( who )?"

Hiei sniffed, disbelieving that he had forgotten even the girl's name in his wide variety of admirers . . .

" . . . " he whispered something, so softly that the redhead couldn't hear . . . Kurama bent down, meeting with detached crimson irises, that were currently gazing, not at him, but off into the distance . . . the whisper returned, hardly above a breath's sound, and the redhead had to strain a bit to hear it . . .

" . . . yukina . . . "

**(xxxxxxx)**

Confusion spurted even more deeply inside Shuichi's mind . . .

Niisa-san . . . ?

. . . but –what . . . . . why . . .

"How do you mean, Hiei-san?" Said teen scoffed at the honorific, sarcastic nature returning almost immediately.

"You can drop the polite act, Kurama." he commented in a quiet, even tone, eyes slipping closed in arrogant disdain.

Jade eyes darkened, and the redhead decided to—(regally)—ignore the comment, choosing not to be distracted from the matter at hand by petty rudeness and scornful body language.

"Why Niisa-san, Hiei?" Kurama noted the way the youth changed his position, a bit of nervous tension gathering in his shoulders at the mention of the girl's name . . . "Why do you want me away from her?" Hiei opened his eyes now, staring straight ahead into the empty street beyond.

"—you don't need to know. Stay away from her." The puzzlement deepened, but then something clicked, as he realized—

"You called her Yukina . . . " the redhead whispered, two ideas coming upon him at once . . . " . . . her given name . . . " Hiei's head jerked up, wide garnets locking with keen jade for a tense, unguarded instant . . . before he quickly reigned in his emotions, narrowing his eyes back to their original glare—and looking away again.

"Tch . . . "

(—Kurama decided to be cautious . . . of the two possibilities that had wandered into his mind, he had yet to determine which—)

"Are you fond of her?" he asked quietly, a slightly unexpected nervous tightening occurring with the anticipation of a response . . .

Hiei remained silent, merely continuing to stare, unseeing, at the vacant suburban street . . . Kurama wet his lips with his tongue, palms lightly chilled, resting in his pockets . . . but he pushed the thought away with his next question . . .

"—or do you care for her?"

Again, there was that unnerving, eerie quiet for a few long moments—before it clicked, and angry crimson eyes were suddenly burning into him with the realization, short temper heatedly sparked by this simple insinuation.

"Baka! Not in the way you'rethinking!" Hiei hissed, red eyes flashing at the boldness of the taller . . . he'd known the redhead for less than a week, and the teen was already daring to suggest—!

Bas—rd . . . he muttered in his mind, the smoldering rubies still locked on Shuichi's slightly-shocked face . . . which then fell into a sly grin as the taller closed his eyes, gracefully folding his arms in front of him and shaking his head in a bit of silent mirth.

Hiei growled venom . . . and his eyes narrowed further, soundlessly demanding a justification for the other's sudden amusement. Jade eyes settled down on him, soft laughter still dancing in their depths . . . . . . . . . beaut—

The dark youth's attention was caught as the redhead spoke, a trace of over-cheerfulness reflecting in his voice, the bright green eyes sparkling in triumph.

"I see . . . so you're related to her, then?"

**(xxxxxxx)**

Hope you liked it!

Bad cliffhanger . . .?

Xx;; suman ne . . .

Then again . . .

This story'sgot **160** **reviews?** oO;

n . . . . . n

lol!

Thankies, minna!

: bows deeply to everyone :

n.n

As I'm a little out-of-practice, I'll end my inane babble here, then. n.n; Heh.

Jaa ne, minna-san!

If you could find the time, please tell me what you thought of this chapter!

: bows again :

- Kita n.n

( . . . would you guys believe that this is the longest fic I've ever written? . . . heh! n.n; )

PS

Arigatou gozaimashita . . .

_Kooriya Yui (: bows : arigatou! n . . . . n heh, thanks for your thoughts on Karasu . . . some like him, some don't . . . depends on the individual, ne? n.n;; eh . . . anyway, gomen for the short response, demo . . . I WANT TO POST! T.T; sigh u.u;; and yet it's all my fault, too . . . grr . . . ah, well. : shrug : . . . mnn . . . oh! n . . . n I've been reading 'Balance', Yui-san! n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . n Awesome, chica! Great angst:3 eheh . . . well, thanks so much for the review, Yui-san! arigatou gozaimasu! n.n )_

_Nite Nite ( : snickers : poor Kurama-kun . . . n.n; ah, well . . . we'll think of the whole 'Karasu' thing as payback for his deeds as a youko, ne? n.n;;; eh . . . : eyes dart from side to side : errm . . . I'm not sure about that 'nana', though . . . maybe I don't want to know, ne? n.n; heh . . . but arigatou gozaimashita for the review, Nite-chan:3 Thanks! )_

_Dragonflyr ( : evil grin : heh . . . you have no idea how 'messed in the head' my lil AU version of Karasu will turn out to be . . . : sadistic chuckles are heard : I've even got a history for him . . . as to why he is the way he is . . . n.n evil . . . traumatic . . . my mom was even frightened, lol! n.n;; eheh . . . : shrug : On another note, Youko's so much fun! n . . . n For some reason he really just flows in writing, and it's great 'cause I don't have to think with him: laughs : I've gotten lazy . . . sigh. -; . . . as for the flashbacks . . . I'm not saying anything:3 lol, again, thanks for the review, Flyr-san! n.n doumo arigatou! )_

_Volpe Di Spirito ( AH! Volpe-chan! Xx; UPDATE YOUR HIEI-NEKO FIC! GWAH! x.x;;;;;; so unfair . . . u.u;;; . . . sigh . . . but thanks for the nice character comments on Youko and Karasu! n . . . . n They mean a lot, chica, honestly . . . :3 heh. Well, I'm hoping to get this chappie up tonight, so . . . thank you very much for reviewing, Volpe-chan! n.n arigatou:3 )_

_Kitsune Kit ( . . . heh. Well, let's not get too into the idea of seeing the three bishounen demons fighting shirt-less . . . : snickers : Like Kurama'd actually enter a battle not being all polite and modest, ne? Youko'd not want to seduce anyone when he's trying to concentrate on strategy, and Hiei . . . well, the hankoorime just wouldn't give a d—n. -;;; eh . . . doumo for the review, Kit-chan! n.n thanks so much:3 )_

_shadow priestess ( . . . yes, well . . . my mom's taken the mouse numerous times in the past few months, by now Xx; sigh . . . but we've got a system, now. : shrugs : . . . ah, and sorry for the late update . . . it honestly is my fault; I've been lazy. : nod : x.x;; eh . . . but thank you for the review! n.n; sorry the response is coming so late, heh . . . but danke schoen, shadow-chan:3 thankies, thankies! n . . . n )_

_Queen of the Paperclips ( . . . I like your quote, eheh. n.n; Coolness . . . : shrug : But anyway . . . thanks for the compliments! n . . . . n! lol, arigatou, Paperclip-chan! . . . although . . . I actually got to see a Hiei plushie, heh! n.n;; I found one online, and ordered it for a friend of mine whose favorite Yuu Yuu Hakushou character is that lil jaganshi . . . : shrugs again : n.n Thanks for the review! Sorry for the late-ness! ( u.u; ) Doumo arigatou gozaimasu! n . . . n )_

_Sate ( eh! I love the first line of your review, chica! n . . . n Heh, heh! I showed it to a bunch of people, and they just laughed, lol:3 : peace sign : n.n Suman ne for the 'extended withdrawal' . . . err . . . it's been ten weeks, or something like that . . . ? . . . : realizes the length of time : oo; : runs away: Xx; Don't hurt meh! x.x;; . . . glad you reviewed, though, Sate-chan! n . . . . n arigatou gozaimasu:3 )_

_Vampire Ifurita ( : nod : You don't need to duck for cover, don't worry . . . actually, I was thinking about a Youko x Kurama pairing, just to mess with people's minds! n.n lol! . . . demo, I'm basically tacking that little . . . : clears throat : . . . 'implication' . . . as Youko being all annoyingly arrogant, clever, dangerously seductive, etc . . . (I'm aware the list could go on, we'll leave it at that, ne? n.n; heh . . . -; ) . . . and, while two weeks may be nothing, I feel quite guilty over the month-long span of time. u.u;; . . . sigh . . . well . . . thankies for reviewing, Ita-chan! n . . . n doumo:3 )_

_anonymous ( eh: sheepish laugh, hand behind her head : Nope! I didn't know Togashi-sama got their names from the two mountains . . . I thought it was all coincidence, eheh . . . heh! n.n;;;;;;;;;; . . . but thanks for reviewing, anonymous-san: nod : n.n; arigatou! )_

_Firekitti ( muahaha! I have a weapon, now: waves the plastic sword in the air : n.n lol! Glad you liked chappie number fourteen! Thanks for reviewing, chica! Sorry for the wait! Doumo for your patience and comment, Kitti-san:3 )_

_Squal D. Zolo ( : nod : I've said before . . . I don't plan to discontinue this! n.n lol, too much time and energy put into writing it, ne: shrugs : n . . . n Thanks for the review, Zolo-san! Sumanai for the wait . . . I'm so lazy . . . . sigh -;;;; . . . anyway, doumo, and hoped you thought this new chappie was passable! n.n Thanks:3 )_

_maliks-dragon ( : nod : I accept your suggestion ( the rape-Hiei idea oO; ) though I probably won't use it. n.n; eh . . . thank you very much for the nice comments about my story. : bows :3 Very much appreciated, Dragon-san . . . sorry for the long-time writer's block, on my part. -; I've been off-task with writing, recently . . . as you can tell, ne? n.n; heh . . . but thanks again, chica . . . for reviewing, as well! n . . . n doumo arigatou gozaimasu:3 )_

_Nefertiri ( eh . . . oO; . . . word of advice: use duct tape to tie me to the chair, to get me to write . . . it holds wonderfully! n . . . . . n lol! n.n; I'm glad you like it; I try ( when I'm not slacking off, that is -;;;;; ): nod : n.n I hope you found this chapter good enough to live up to the rest, heh! n.n; ( seriously x.x;; ) : shrug : Thanks for the review, though! n . . . . n arigatou gozaimashita, Tiri-san! )_

_Curious Dream Weaver ( : beams : Thank you for your compliments on characterization! n. . . . n Arigatou, Weaver-san: nod : I hope you still find it mildly interesting, after this chappie, though! n.n; eh . . . : bow : Nice to meet you, and thanks for the review. n.n; doumo! )_

_Lady SilveRose ( heh! Like your username . . . very clever, Rose-san . . . n.n Ah, Kurama torture all around, ne: snickers :3 Thanks for the review, chica! n.n Doumo arigatou:3 )_

_YokoYoukai ( hey, I think I"ve read some of your work! n.n; eh, can't recall the name right now . . . Hiei-san and Yuki-chan were kidnapped . . . it's a shounen ai one . . . Rui's in it, too Xx; gak . . . : shrug : But anyway . . . : bows : n . . . n Thanks so much, Youkai-san:3 lol, you lucked out . . . I'm updating four days after your review . . . unlike all the poor readers who have following this fic since August . . . over two months of waitin! Xx; . . . if anyone reviews, I'll be stunned that they don't decide to take their well-justified revenge out on me by not telling me what they thought . . . xX; GAK! x.x;;;; sigh . . . but thank you for the review, again! n.n doumo argiatou:3 )_

Wai!

I can actually update!

oO;

After so long . . . . n.n;;

Eheh!

Hope you choose to let me know what you thought, minna-san!

: bows to silent readers and reviewers alike :

n . . . . . . n

Thanks!

:3

Peace out!


	16. Beauty

**AU – Tatakoe koukou wo shusseki shimasu: Attending Tatakoe High**

_(alternate universe, shounen ai) Kurama and Hiei are normal humans attending regular, everyday human school. NOT YOUR USUAL SCHOOL 'AU' FIC. This time they DON'T go to the same high school . . . pairings; KurHiei, YusKei, KuwYuk, KoeBot._

Shounen ai (perhaps some yaoi) eventually. n.n;;

BE WARNED if you don't like it, ok, minna-san? n.n

Pairings: Kurama x Hiei, Yuusuke x Keiko, Kuwabara x Yukina, Koenma x Botan

Disclaimer: Kita doesn't own yuyu. So don't you/you sue, onegai. :3

Semi-important notes . . .

1- Yuusuke, Keiko and Kuwabara's school is still Sarayashiki Junior High (Yuusuke, Kuwabara and Keiko are all fourteen).

2- Hiei and Karasu's school is Tatakoe High (the next step for students in Sarayashiki Junior High).

3- Kurama, Youko, Yukina and Botan's school is Meiou High. (Hiei, Kurama, Karasu, Yukina and Botan are all sixteen; Youko is seventeen).

AND I RETURN FROM THE DEAD ABYSS AGAIN! x.x;;; gah . . .

: shudders : High school eleventh grade . . . tests . . . massive amounts of homework, reading, and essays . . . PSSA preparation, getting mentally ready for the SATs, looking at colleges, Japanese grammar, verb conjugation, adjective and new kanji work, studying for the Wellness tests and the final that's this Monday, World Cultures memorization (mostly on what's been happening between Israel and Palestine for the past sixty or so years), the AP English reading (Of Mice and Men: essays on the book; also reading two dramas by a 'modern' American playwright of our choice; and in addition to THAT, working on a biography of the author, and a full-out research paper for the whole shebang, not to mention studying for the periodic vocabulary assessment that's every other Thursday n.n; ) . . . ah, yes, and let's not forget the AP test in early May!

—so . . . yeah. n.n;

Those are my excuses for the two-month installments between chapters, eheh! n.n;;;;;

: pauses in her rambling to fire Hiei and Kurama plushies out to YokoYoukai, Kooriya Yui, Kitsune Kit, Queen of the Paperclips, Dragonflyr, shadow priestess, Volpe Di Spirito, Yuro-Kage, Water's Shadow, kiarah, Bluespark, Nite Nite, ame-tennyo, canis lupis, Ryuuie Mizishi and Lachwen . . . and now promptly continues the inane babble :

Hmm . . . what else is there . . . oh, of course! n.n; I've been looking into starting kenjutsu or aikido (the trial 'viewing' of one of the sensei's lessons is a week from Monday; afternoon), possibly taking part in a band, hopefully finishing our service project so my partner can finally graduate by this May (she's a senior) and . . . reading fanfiction, watching out for any new Yuu Yuu Hakusho DVDs coming out (the new one's due seventeen days from now n . . . . n! )

Ah, yes!

By the way, I recently found (and read) two completely AWESOME fanfics(—and both Kurama x Hiei shounen ai, by the way . . . n.n )!

They're not on f a n f i c t i o n . n e t , so you have to go to the sites:

h t t p : w w w . s o l i t u d e o f a f a l l i n g s t a r . h p g . i g . c o m . b r / f a n f i c s / c h a p t e r e d / w h i t e b l i n d n e s s . h t m l

and

h t t p : w w w . s o l i t u d e o f a f a l l i n g s t a r . h p g . i g . c o m . b r / f a n f i c s / c h a p t e r e d / b e g i n n i n g . h t m l

They are sooo cool!

So much better than mine, and such fun to read!

'White Blindness' is so in-character, I could definitely see it being another saga in the series (if Kurama and Hiei were actually a couple . . . sigh . . . u.u; ).

'The Beginning' is a timeline of what happened way back around the three stolen artifacts of Reikai (involving the cursed sword, Ghost Slayer, Kurama and the sacrifice of the Mirror of Darkness, and Gouki and the-Orb-that-likes-to-suck-out-little-children's-souls); it more or less 'explains' how Kurama finagled Hiei's sentence so he wouldn't have to be in prison, and is basically **their** story of what happened during those six months when the detective was out training with Genkai.

These stories are very original, and I hope you find the time to read them.

Each is about fifteen chapters, and well worth the easy pace.

Also, you absolutely CANNOT finish them in one day. It took me about or over two, for each.

( n.n; )

Granted, it was during the week . . . but still . . .

: sigh : n . . . n

Anyway, if the two links above didn't show up, you can always search by Google, under the keywords 'Morgan D's Tiny Page of YYH fanfiction.'

Of the fics listed, 'White Blindess' is written by **Mina Lightstar** and 'The Beginning's author is **Larissa**.

There are many other nice little fics on Morgan D's page, but these are the best I've found.

n.n

And now that THAT's out and done with, on with the five or so pathetic pages of my insignificant AU's continuation!

Thankies are at the end.

. . . . n.n;;;;

: waves n.n;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; :

(xxxxxxx)

Tuesday, late afternoon 

(xxxxxxxxxxxxx)

. . . beforehand . . .

(xxxxxxx)

Hiei growled venom . . . and his eyes narrowed further, soundlessly demanding a justification for the other's sudden amusement. Jade eyes floated down to him, soft laughter still dancing in their depths . . .

The dark youth's attention was caught as the redhead spoke, a trace of over-cheerfulness reflecting in his voice, the bright green eyes sparkling.

"I see . . . so you're related to her, then?"

(xxxxxxx)

(xxxxxxx)

Chapter Sixteen

_Beauty_

(xxxxxxx)

Wide, wide WIDE garnets jerked abruptly to Kurama, and said redhead bit his thumb to suppress a chuckle at the rare sight.

—he did, however, allow a complacent tone to drip into his kind voice as he regained control of himself and took his thumb away, leaning his face innocently against the hand . . .

" . . . am I correct?" he asked mildly, an almost-unbearable smugness shining in the verdant eyes.

**(xxxxxxx)**

**D—N HIM!**

**D—N** that smug bas—rd!

That naïve, surprised look was blasted away in light of the small smirk dangerously working its way onto the redhead's confident visage . . . oh, how he wanted to punch that face, thus forcefully wiping that arrogant grin off those—

Ah, but for self-control, Hiei only allowed himself an unnoticeable breath—followed by a deadly glare and an icy—

"Hn."

**(xxxxxxx)**

Across town, a silver-haired teen, perhaps a year or so older than a very alike redhead, pushed the door to his apartment open. He and his companion came upon a slender, beautiful young lady in front of the mirror in the hall, bent over in a casually suggestive position that just happened to be at her chest-level . . . possibly applying her lipstick in the most sultry way it could be done . . . all of this, of course, was the mere by-product of her years at work . . .

Her clothing hung high and tight in a two-piece outfit, accenting her curves perfectly, the dark tube top tight across her chest, where a cut-out icon of a sleek fox-head, outlined in bright silver, had been made at precisely the center, a little low, as it allowed the crack between certain things to be seen . . . though not enough to be considered she wasn't covering herself properly . . . the stylish silver jacket, the sleeves cut off and hanging loosely at the shoulders fell lightly to accent the skin-tight ebony fabric of her shirt . . .

A bit of her sensuous lower abdomen was seen, and the long, flowing silver-white skirt sweeping under her belly button and over her ankles was almost acceptable . . . but for the long, open cuts that curved up to just under her waist, so when she moved, it was quite possible to catch a glimpse of the satin beneath . . . light black shoes completed the ensemble, pointed and comfortably high-heeled, the only conservative part of the outfit.

Bright, hauntingly innocent and yet corrupt silver eyes trained to the door upon its opening, and a low smirk danced across her face at the girl at his side, who had quickly blushed a dark shade of crimson at the sight, and was now looking away, embarrassed, at the floor . . .

The lady stood, her smug look traveling to her odd-colored eyes, as she changed to a smile, the elegantly long, silver locks reaching a bit past her waist, pulled back at the bottom of her neck with a simple black satin cord. She strode to the door, each step seeming to be premeditated, and calculated, to be alluring. Stopping in front of the boy, whose golden eyes had traveled down to her, eyes flicking over her once, before a smirk crept onto **his** face, as well, though more in routine amusement.

"Got work tonight, Mom?" She smiled again, lighter, this time, a deep contentment found in her fingers as they brushed the long, silvery bangs from her son's forehead.

"Hai, You-chan." Ever since his friends had started calling him 'Youko' . . . she found it quite amusing, and had taken it to an endearing nickname . . . in a school-girlish gesture, she smiled brightly, tilting her head, her eyes becoming innocent half-moons whilst the woman's fine silver bangs shifted at the movement, framing her face beautifully. "Got to go get the bread, ne?" After a moment she chuckled, and mask fell . . . once again leaving the experienced face of a thirty-three year-old mother who . . . 'worked' . . . for their living. With a light bow to his friend, she glided in an elegant pace out the door, and he shut it quietly, locking it behind her (knowing that she kept a key to the house on her, at all times) . . .

" . . . Netsuki-san . . . your mother . . ? . . ." Having momentarily forgotten the girl he had brought home, he smirked at the disbelieving and timid tone that broke the silence, turning slightly to look down at her with a hint of amusement from his profile view, pale gold eyes taking her in.

"Aa. Does she . . . not seem like one . . . ?" The girl's brown eyes widened, and she shook her head, far too quickly to successfully dispel the aura of nervousness surrounding her.

"Iie, iie, Netsuki-san! I only meant—" Her breath caught in her throat, as the taller youth leaned down, his gaze even with hers, golden eyes holding her captive as he moved his face slightly closer, the saffron depths darkening . . .

" . . . didn't you hear? I'm Youko . . . " Her eyes widened as he drew closer, their noses touching as his arms came around her, one enveloping her waist as the other dove behind her neck, stroking the skin softly and eliciting a shiver from the virgin teen . . . he moved forward slowly, taking her mouth with his, and her eyes slid shut as he delved deeply past her lips, and she weakly gave up any notions of resistance . . . not that she could find the **will** to resist, anyway. She whimpered something against him, and he drew back, arrogance quietly hidden in his manner, even as he spoke softly, resting his forehead on hers . . .

" . . . nani, Toumo-chan?" Her eyes opened, a bit hazy as she exhaled soft and quick, looking up to meet his gaze, her breaths cool and yet warm against his face . . .

" . . . Yo—Youko-kun . . . " He smiled, a hidden smirk behind it, one that the girl **couldn't** have seen, and picked her up. Startled, she clung to his neck, relaxing only slightly during the ride . . . he carried her down the hall to the bedroom at the end, opening the door with one hand as the girl's loose grip around his neck and his other arm kept her from falling. He went inside the dim room, cleverly coaxing her to release his neck, then laying her down on the bed . . .

Before going back to close the door.

**(xxxxxxx)**

" . . . would you like something warm to drink, perhaps?" the redhead asked mildly, rummaging quietly around in the wooden cupboards of the Minamino kitchen, his back to the guest, though he turned while asking the question, two simple hollow cylinders held in his delicate hands. The teen subject to the inquiry turned his head slightly, ruby eyes as narrow as they always were when they rose to meet with the calm and slightly expectant jade eyes of his host—

"Hn." Kurama resisted the urge to roll his eyes, and set the two cups on the counter, the kettle having just been set, the temperature of the water inside rising slowly, and they would have to wait until it boiled. The taller youth rummaged around some more, coming out with a box of something . . . he pulled out one packet, and began to set it back inside . . . the redhead looked over his shoulder as he slid the cardboard rectangle back into its spot.

"Anything in particular you'd like, Hiei?" Said teen with the cold garnet gaze that had been observing him 'hn'ed, turning his eyes away to a remote corner of the room . . . sighing, Kurama looked back into the cabinet, brows furrowing, as he searched for something the other might find acceptable . . .

Hiei, his scarlet irises having been averted away, didn't care to see what the other teen pulled out for him . . . hn. It's not like he'd drink it, anyway . . . leaning back into the chair and folding his arms over his chest, the dark teen closed his eyes after a moment, face angled downwards as he thought . . .

Hn. D—n pretty boy . . . he'd coaxed him inside, just like a clever, illusion-weaving . . . kitsune. He snorted, mentally, at the comparison; but allowed a moment to assent the fact to himself . . . yes, Kurama acted like a fox. Arrogant bas—rd that he was . . . opening one eye as he heard the chair across from him slide over the floor, he obviously concluded that the redhead was done with whatever it was he had been doing . . . upon realizing the other was gazing at him, he responded—by glaring.

Kurama sighed as he came back to himself, told quite overtly that he had been caught, unfolding his hands from where they had once provided a chin-rest . . . instead, he transferred them to rest lightly on his lap, unseen under the table, smiling across to his companion in a friendly way, even though the other, once again, had trained his red irises on the farthest corner of the room, away from the older teen.

"Ne, Hiei . . " The dark-haired one kept silent, showing barely that he was listening, and the redhead kept his tone light.

" . . . what is your relation to Niisa-san?" Garnet eyes shot to him in an instant.

"It doesn't concern you." was the sharp reply, that red gaze narrowing dangerously, to ward off any further questions . . . Kurama pressed onward, though, still lightly pursuing the subject.

" . . . quite close, I'd imagine? After all, you've both the same eye color . . . " Those crimson irises, nearly identical (in coloration, if nothing else) to the girl in question, narrowed further as the redhead finished his sentence.

"—It **doesn't concern** you." Kurama sighed, raising his hand from the table, and resting the side of his chin on it . . . the elegant fingers splayed softly over that cheek as he gazed at his companion absently, a bit puzzled as to how secretive a manner his guest exhibited . . .

" . . . I only wish to know, Hiei. My word would be not to tell, of course." He smiled at him, just a bit, the jade orbs tinted with some bit of truth and honesty. Hiei blinked, then narrowed his eyes again, flicking his head to the side, the gaze this time in the same direction as the redhead's verdant irises were—just now—intently and softly trained upon.

_Hmm . . . this could take a while . . ._

Kurama was about to comment again, when the kettle whistled in back of him, and so he got up, turning to the stove, unseeing as the crimson eyes came back to rest on his slender form, the deep scarlet locks brushing demurely over his slight-framed back . . .

Not quite realizing what he was doing, the red orbs trailed carefully over the other, observing him as the other moved about, the redhead's mind busied with the preparation of the 'somethings warm to drink' . . .

_Hn. Baka . . ._

And yet, as Kurama turned back around to face him, a cup in each hand, Hiei's eyes were again directed at that curious corner . . . the same one that seems to have indefinitely caught his attention, for some odd reason . . . shrugging a bit mentally, the redhead set his 'friend's beverage down in front of him, smiling slightly as one red eye traveled back to glance at him, the spiky-haired teen's head not moving an inch . . . Kurama shook his head, still with that slight smile traced on his lips, heading back to his own seat, placing his cup down in front of him and then proceeding to sit . . .

The elder teen entwined his fingers up to once again provide a rest for his face, the perfectly-contoured chin lying lightly on the slender digits . . . after a few minutes of a quiet stalemate, where neither spoke, yet nor did they break eye-contact . . . Kurama finally unhinged his hands and turned his gaze downwards, carefully taking hold of his tea, bringing the slightly-steaming liquid to his lips, sipping it quietly, as the jade orbs rose once again to observe his companion across the table, who had now begun to quietly scrutinize his own drink.

. . . it was unnatural.

The fluid was a dark, murky-brown color . . . like coffee, only . . . it didn't have the scent of it. Furrowing his brow in puzzlement, Hiei leaned forward, carefully taking the cup in one hand, being sure not to spill the still-hot drink, surveying it with a critical eye . . . he glanced up to Kurama, only noticing the amused gaze on him in this moment. Curiosity overtook his natural instinct to glare at the other, and so . . .

" . . . what is this." His host smiled, taking another sip of the steaming tea in his hands before answering, mirth twinkling lightly in the verdant gaze.

"Nothing detrimental . . . and it's likely you'll find it more appealing than water." It had been an instinct . . . the redhead himself wasn't sure how Hiei would react . . . after all, the dark youth had a penchant for being able to surprise people . . . even he, Kurama, could admit to that . . . so the elder merely smiled again, with a bit of gentle reassurance, to the other, the warm look confirming the fact he wasn't trying to **_poison_** the spiky-haired one . . . given the skeptical glare he was currently receiving.

The younger boy looked back at the murky puddle currently captured inside a thin sheet of . . . clay, he supposed . . . tch . . . he didn't really think Kurama would have tried it, but . . . hn.

Raising the glass to his lips, without any further hesitation (that now clearly conveyed that he wasn't afraid of the d—n stuff) . . . he took a large sip, and the red eyes went wide after a moment, as he then drew it away from his face, looking down at the remaining liquid with astonishment.

His red eyes lost themselves to recollection, staring deep into the chocolate depths . . .

In fact, the last time had been . . .

" . . . . . . . . " he muttered something, not meaning to, his voice just below a whisper . . .

Kurama's face became puzzled, wiped clean of the light laughter in his eyes at Hiei's original expression . . . what had changed?

Now the dark-haired one's eyes had dimmed, as he stared, downcast, into the cup of hot chocolate, garnet eyes far away in a lost memory . . . the redhead leaned forward, concern falling into his eyes at the sudden shift in the other's manner . . .

" . . Hiei . . ? . . . " Blank red eyes almost met his own green ones for a moment, but by the time the darker teen had looked up, they had sharpened, and he stood, tossing the glass to the floor, the colored ceramic shattering on impact and letting the liquid loose on the formerly clean tiles below . . . Kurama stood, the violent action unexpected . . . his eyes still confused and subconsciously thinking-

". . . Hiei?"

The other had just now turned away from him, in an instant . . . before then the front door was suddenly banged open, faster than Kurama could see . . and he was gone . . . the redhead ran after the younger teen, stopping at the threshold of the house, left to peer into the darkness, before he sighed, reluctantly giving up the pointless task of trying to locate a single shadow in the quickly-fading twilight . . .

**(xxxxxxx)**

As he gazed morosely up at the ceiling, Kurama's mind absolutely refused to shut off . . .

_. . Hiei . . .._

He'd seen the look of complete and utter pleasant surprise on his . . . friend's? . . . face . . . before it faded to nothing . . . and then that usual anger. He sighed, closing his jade-colored eyes and finally allowing sleep to take him . . .

_. . . what happened . . ._

_( : memory : )_

_With a cry, the boy sitting on the trash can leapt forward . . . he attempted to get his friend away from the center of the paved asphalt, the loud roar of the two engines resounding in both of their ears . . . with a last ounce of strength, he pushed the redhead over the curb, falling flat on his stomach at the exertion, and dark eyes widened as they looked up to see the death-cars only a few meters away by now._

_The older boy's gaze went automatically to his companion . . . now the jade eyes came alive again, and the dark-haired boy nodded . . . dusky indigo irises soft and shimmering. Kurama cried out in realization, scrambling from his awkward position at being tossed over the side._

_"NO—!"_

_At his shout, the left driver looked back at the road, and his eyes bulged out of his head._

_"HOLY S—T!" He swerved, with the intent to avoid the kids, and whammed into the car astride of him. The other teen, not realizing the reason for this unexpected move, yelled loudly in response and banged him back, now driving the other up and off the side of the road; both cars shoulder-to-shoulder and sending sparks._

_Kurama could see it; one car, it's left side riding up on the curb he had been pushed over . . . and the other, speeding straight towards—_

_Jade eyes slipped shut as the unavoidable impact came . . ._

_( : end memory : ) _

**(xxxxxxx)**

. . . meh.

More or less a filler chappie. n.n;;

Eh . . . honestly, I can't think of anything to say. ..;

. . . the whole hot chocolate scene was a tad odd . . . would any of you like to offer your thoughts on it? Since my ideas are coming like molasses, it's slightly annoying . . . for me as well, not just all of you, lol. n.n;;;;;;;

Eeto . . . gomen nasai for this taking so long . . . T.T

Review, kudasai . . . ?

Kita n.n;

PS

ありがとうございます . . . ( Arigatou gozaimasu . . . )

YokoYoukai ( : nod, grin : Ha. You had to wait, just like everyone else, this time: slight snicker : n.n;;; Seriously, though, I really appreciate your reviewing! n . . . n It's always fun when new people start to read . . . n.n Doumo! )

Kooriya Yui ( : is beaming : Yup! I know you updated a few days ago, but I haven't found time to read it yet . . . Xx; eheh . . . : shrug : n.n;;;; Thank you very much! I just hope I can live up to the expectations you guys have of me, now . . . gwah! x.x; I'll try . . . and doumo arigatou, again, Yui-chan! n.n Thanks! )

Kitsune Kit ( I'm working on the update-ness! Xx; erg . . . thanks for the review, Kit-chan! n.n; lol, doumo! n.n;;;;; )

Queen of the Paperclips ( lol! Your reviews are always so funny! n.n; Keeps me in stitches, that they do . . . gah! KENSHIN MOMENT! x.x;; oro . . . lol: huggles : n . . . n Thankies for the paragraph-review, Paperclip-chan! n . . . . . . . . n I haven't much more to say, and wish to update before midnight tonight, so I'll just give you my undying gratitude and thank you soo much!)

Dragonflyr ( Awww: huggles: n . . . . . . . . . n Thank you soooo much, Flyr-chan: HUGGLES: n.n : laughs : Yes, Karasu's story is rather . . . evil. n.n; But it works, ne? I have it all planned out, so eventually you'll be hearing about it . . . : snickers : But Youko's mom was so much fun to make up . . . I figure Youko has to inversely mirror Kurama, right? So . . . he lives alone, with his mom, who is the opposite of Shiori in all ways possible. n.n;; lol . . . again, thanks, Flyr-chan! n . . . . . n )

shadow priestess ( . . . . ugg . . . yes, I know. Xx; No more 'watashi' for Hiei. x.x;; I will use 'ore' or 'boku' or some such thing, from now on . . . gomen . . . my Japanese is still in the works, but I try . . . T.T sigh . . . well, thanks for the compliments, too, and I hope this chapter was acceptable, shadow-chan! n.n Arigatou, lol! n.n; )

Volpe Di Spirito ( . . . ah, yes, I actually read your fourth update for the neko fic . . . n.n; Eheh . . . I saw the update, but didn't register that the number '5' on the listings for the chapter showed that there was actually a **new** chapter. n.n; eheh . . . thankies for the compliments, Volpe-chan! Doumo arigatou gozaimasu! n . . . . n )

Yuro-Kage ( Heh, sure. n.n; Hiei and Yuusuke should be fighting again sometime before chapter twenty, if I'm lucky . . . I'll try to update more, I really will . . . but circumstances don't allow too much. n.n; Eheh . . . glad to see a new reader, though, Kage-san: huggles: n.n Thanks for the review! Arigatou gozaimasu! n . . . n )

Water's Shadow ( : smile: Thank you! I'm glad you decided to read this! it means a lot, Water-san. n . . . n lol, doumo! n.n )

kiarah ( . . . . eh . . . thank you. : nod, nod : For the correction, I mean. n.n; I try to have fun with foreign language stuff, so while it might be a blow to my ego (eh! n.n; ) I very much appreciate you telling me the correct way. : bows : n.n;; And thanks for the review, kiarah-san. : nod : Arigatou! n . . . n )

Bluespark ( Hey, thanks! Always glad to see a new reader! n.n And I'm very touched to find that you believe I keep them in character . . . : nod, smile : n . . . n I hope I can keep that up! Arigatou gozaimasu, Spark-san:3 )

Nite Nite ( lol! And on Kurama and Hiei's separate gravestones: Kurama: Died of a heart attack from being chased by a person constantly yelling 'Karasu!' . . . Hiei: Died of a fork in his Jagan. Xx; Heh! n.n;; Not really, but . . . thanks for the review. n.n;;;;;; lol, arigatou gozaimasu, Nite-chan! n.n; )

ame-tennyo ( lol: waves hands at supersonic speed, in return, at the welcomed new reader : n . . . . n Heh, thanks, Tennyo-san! n.n; lol, arigatou:3 )

canis lupis ( : nod : Yes, the amount of time it's taking to get to the mushy part is sort of frustrating in and of itself . . . x.x; erk . . . . another reason, in the beginning of each chapter, I've put 'Shounen ai (perhaps some yaoi) eventually.' . . . eheh. n.n;;; Ah, you must love that last little word . . . lol, sorry! n.n; It's just the way it's flowing out . . . : shrug : I want to cover everything before I move on too much, and that might be the reason for such a slow pace . . . n.n; Eheh, doumo! )

Ryuuie Mizishi ( : pounces : Wai! Ryuu-chan! n . . . . . . n I think I recognize your name . . . did you send me many music bunches of Yuu Yuu Hakusho songs through e-mail . . . ? . . . Xx; If not, sorry, my mistake! n.n;;;; Eheh . . . : shrug : Regardless, thank you for the many reviews (on my other fics, too! n . . . n Doumo arigatou gozaimasu! Glad you like my writing a bit! n.n )

Lachwen ( Ah! Thank you! Hope I kept him in character, enough! n.n Arigatou, Lachwen-san! )

Gah! Four minutes to update before it's April third and I'm late!

Thankies, minna-san and those silent readers, too!

(Ha! One minute to spare! It's 11:59 right now! n . . . n )

Peace out!

:3


	17. Acquaintances, and a Search

AU – Tatakoe koukou wo shusseki shimasu: Attending Tatakoe High 

(alternate universe, shounen ai) Kurama and Hiei are normal humans attending regular, everyday human school. NOT YOUR USUAL SCHOOL 'AU' FIC. This time they DON'T go to the same high school . . . pairings; KurHiei, YusKei, KuwYuk, KoeBot.

Shounen ai (perhaps some yaoi) eventually. n.n;;

BE WARNED if you don't like it, ok, minna-san? n.n

Pairings: Kurama x Hiei, Yuusuke x Keiko, Kuwabara x Yukina, Koenma x Botan

Disclaimer: Kita doesn't own yuyu. So don't you/you sue, onegai. :3

Semi-important notes . . .

1- Yuusuke, Keiko and Kuwabara's school is still Sarayashiki Junior High (Yuusuke, Kuwabara and Keiko are all fourteen).

2- Hiei and Karasu's school is Tatakoe High (the next step for students in Sarayashiki Junior High).

3- Kurama, Youko, Yukina and Botan's school is Meiou High. (Hiei, Kurama, Karasu, Yukina and Botan are all sixteen; Youko is seventeen).

Oh . . . my . . . gosh. x.x;;;

I'm so sorry you guys! It's been, literally, four months!

Here's my list . . .

Finals in June. I missed the two-month deadline . . . Our computer also died a week before I left (lightning burnt out the PC tower). That was . . . around June 13, or so. Preparing for a trip to Japan, going on a trip to Japan (two weeks), staying in Oregon with my relatives for two more weeks (didn't have my discs, so I couldn't write . . . sigh). I was home for less than a week, and our _new_ computer broke. It was a lemon, so it was sorta messed up anyway, but . . . yeah. Took us another week and a half to get a new one, and I've been settling in, somewhat . . .

Well, that's been my summer (the first two-thirds, anyway) in a nutshell. Sorry if I don't seem too energetic, tonight, but—my mom's also limited me to four hours on the computer. I hope you enjoy the chapter, I'm working on the next one as much as I can. THIS FIC IS NOT DEAD! --;; I just need to find the time . . . n.n;; Eheh . . . see you guys at the end!

: Flings toddler-sized Hiei plushies out to Kooriya Yui, YokoYoukai, Dragonflyr, Bluespark, Kitsune Kit, ame-tennyo AKA Hyena Frog, Ryuuie Mizishi, Fox-Forbidden-Child, Nite Nite, Vampire Ifurita, Queen of the Paperclips, shadow priestess, spiritkitsune, foxlover312 and Tankar. :

: waves::

n.n

( . . . and again, sorry for the super-lateness! ;;;;;;;;; Mou . . . x.x; )

(xxxxxxx)

Tuesday night 

(xxxxxxxxxxxxx)

. . . beforehand . . .

(xxxxxxx)

He'd seen the look of complete and utter pleasant surprise on his friend's face . . . before it faded to nothing . . . and then that usual anger. Kurama sighed, closing his jade-colored eyes and finally allowing sleep to take him . . .

_. . . what happened . . ._

(xxxxxxx)

Wednesday, midday 

(xxxxxxx)

Chapter Seventeen

Acquaintances, and a Search 

(xxxxxxx)

" . . . so . . . your Haha made this?" The youth remarked casually, swiftly dipping the chopsticks—(currently held in his left hand)—into the redhead's bentou, from his seat to the teen's right . . . and thus snatching a small roll of sushi from within the lunch box and holding it in the air in front of his face, scrutinizing the food carefully . . . while taking in—(from the corner of his eyes)—the dully irritated near-glare from the other . . . for the thievery. He smirked, lazy golden orbs choosing to shift over, and thus gracing Kurama a half-glance from the side. " . . . would you rather I return it?"

The jade-eyed one shook his head in intuitive annoyance—(wisely not commenting on the pilfered roll)—half at the gall of his new acquaintance . . . the other half in hidden amusement as Youko popped the bit of food into his mouth without hesitation, chewing carefully in thought . . . and swallowing a moment later, wincing slightly to prove his point. " . . . it's a bit salty . . . "

Shuichi managed to ignore the first instinct to roll his eyes, instead going back to eating with another slight smile . . . choosing to take no notice of how other various contents of his lunch were being gradually—if somewhat discreetly—appropriated by the one occupying the desk next to him.

**(xxxxxxx)**

"YEAH! That's what you get for going against the Great KUWABARA KAZUMA!" The teen shouted in triumph . . . to the video game screen across from him, hands still planted on the steering wheel of the driving game. His reason for such an exclamation was due to the fact that one of the racers astride of him had suddenly rolled off to the side, bursting into flames as they hit the wall . . . soon enough the finish line came, and he stretched, standing and stuffing his hands into the pockets of the light blue uniform as he walked out the sliding glass doors, onto the sidewalk, and headed downtown.

. . . wonder where Urameshi's gotten to . . . he thought idly, not even noticing as someone brushed by him, the other's height so short, that the tips of his hair were scarcely visible, the ends of the blue-black spokes rising to just barely above Kuwabara's shoulder—oh, wait! But he DID notice it, now . . . registering after a few paces, how small the guy was, he turned around with a bullied grin, now watching as the other continued to walk quietly away from him . . .

"Oi! . . . shorty!"—the first few words uttered in that tough, delinquent voice—"Haven't seen you around here be—" He stopped, mid-sentence, as the teen slowly rotated to face him, the other's eyes set into a dangerous look, dark crimson narrowed in a deadly stare back to the one who had dared insult him . . . having halted in his pace, just then, at the lack of respect—those irises scanned the other's face and form with more than a tinge of disdain.

—I don't recall this baka . . .

The beady eyes widened, as he, then—he remembered . . . so short, and that weird hairstyle . . . his mouth dropped open, one finger rising to accusingly indicate the other as he backed up a step, to emphasize the point.

"YOU! YOU'RE the one—w-who cheated against Urameshi!"

Reacting as he would have, of course . . . a smirk found its way onto his face, amused garnets glinting in the early light of the day . . . "Hn." . . . he rotated back around, now facing away from the tall idiot, for the second time today . . . and resumed his stroll.

Enraged at this, Kuwabara ran forward, stopping in front the other teen and grabbing the collar of the other's ebony uniform . . . a stoic, expressionless scarlet gaze meeting with the angry black one above it in nearly the same instant he had been assaulted.

" . . . ahou—" The junior-high delinquent muttered, bending close to the elder's face, anger written all over his scant features. "He wants a rematch, you bas—rd . . ."

The only response to this was the cocking of one slender sable eyebrow, half-disappearing beneath the white bandana.

"A rematch won't change the fact I defeated him." That deep baritone stated quietly, a slight hint of annoyance showing itself as one convincing deft hand came up to tightly catch the wrist of the one who was pulling him by the collar, red eyes darkening, now, locked on the smaller, beadier ones across from him . . . As the hold intensified, it forced Kuwabara's fingers to loosen their grasp, and the black-haired teen easily removed himself from the . . . 'intimidating' grip, bending that well-built wrist back, and easily off of him.

The taller one's face tightened at the pain, but he kept his eyes on the other, the arrogant image of the diminutive teen burned into his memory . . . as the other turned, releasing his wrist in a single dismissive move . . . the older of the pair began to head away, yet again—light boots of his dark, slight figure tapping neatly over cracked concrete.

**(xxxxxxx)**

"BAKA YUUSUKE!" —the aforementioned miscreant was now becoming quite intimately acquainted with the very solid surface of the roof of the school. After a moment of simply laying there in pain, he grimaced, pushing himself into a sitting position, and rubbing that one aching cheek—a bright handprint still able to be seen, glowing, through the tending fingers as his chocolate irises (one squinted, slightly) took in his lifelong friend.

" . . . ittai . . . why'd you have to hit so _hard_, Keiko . . . ow . . . " The girl was literally fuming, her face lighting itself red, from both embarrassment and anger; small, feminine hands curled tightly into themselves at her sides, arms locked in a straight-ways down position.

"YOU PERVERT!" She yelled again, quite flustered, and spun quickly around to exit through the door. Slamming it behind her, the girl now stormed her way back down the stairs, then out into the hallways and other assorted classrooms of the junior high . . .

With a slight sigh, the delinquent stood, left hand still de-tenderizing that painful area present on his face . . . he walked to the edge of the roof, staring out over the city, leaning an elbow on the rail (as that hand had shifted to a mere ballast, now) musing to himself whether or not he should stop bothering her so much—

Nah!

An annoying, cheesy grin spread across his face, at the mere thought, as he straightened from his former position, fingers then snaking their way down back to one of the green uniform's pants pockets.

---Keiko was too much fun to tease, after all!

Yuusuke's dark roan eyes trailed idly to the gates, mind stirred by some noticed recollection . . . hmm . . . . where'd Kuwabara been, anyway . . . at this he scoffed, instantly coming upon a likely reason . . . che.

The guy should count himself lucky, not to have some girl ragging on him for skipping school . . .

The top-notch delinquent at Sarayashiki Junior High School grinned again, after a moment, remembering something (or, rather, some_one_) else.

There was Shizuru, though . . .

. . . but now boredom decided to invade the youth's thoughts, so he turned, walking a ways back and sat, yawning some during the action, folding his hands behind his head for support . . . effortlessly sliding into a nap for the rest of the school day.

**(xxxxxxx)**

Wednesday afternoon

**(xxxxxxx)**

The pair of old friends made their way down the street, the school a few blocks behind them having let out only a few minutes ago, and thus allowing a deluge of pink-or-red-uniformed teens to completely saturate the sidewalks. They walked at a comfortable pace, the taller's animated and bright cheery voice nearly the opposite of her friend's quiet and soft tone.

"Honestly! I wonder why Toumo-chan took off so suddenly with those girls . . . she seemed so different, this morning . . . she didn't even want to eat lunch with us today—" The blue-haired girl's voice began to trail off, slowly, getting quieter as the conversation took a bit of a sobering twist.

" . . . . well, perhaps she made friends with them, recently." The other offered in her comforting, gentle voice, not taking part in the gossip, and only seeking to assuage her companion's fears over their common friend's abrupt change in behavior . . . "I'm sure she didn't mean to upset you, Botan-chan."

The girl huffed, slightly, but let it fall, turning her mind to more light-hearted matters . . . such as the weekly cooking lesson she had today! Blinking, and looking down to her friend with a smile, she inquired—

"Ne, Yukina-chan . . . what are we going to be making, today?" The mint-haired girl smiled slightly in return, the light-hued locks shifting mildly as she tilted her head, a bit, to take in her comrade.

"Well, I was thinking—"

"Oi, excuse us!" With a brief startled blink, at the interruption, they both aimed their gazes forward, only now noticing the two boys in front of them. One wore some sort of green attire, with buttons crawling straight up the center front, while the other was nearly a head taller, **his** uniform light blue and starkly contrasting to the curl of murky orange that covered his head.

Bubbly and outgoing as usual, the blue-haired Awakai girl smiled merrily at the two of them, despite the rather sudden interference, knowing that her good-natured, shy friend hadn't held—(and wouldn't hold)—anything against the pair for the interruption . . . and also seeing that Yukina was only observing them with a smile, still with that modest, unruffled air only she possessed.

"Yes?" The taller girl inquired, and the green-clothed delinquent answered first, his voice carrying some brash tinge, even as he spoke seriously.

"Would you know where we could find someone in a black uniform." The question was frank, open and direct. Botan blinked.

"—ei-to—" After a few moments, where it was clear the slightly air-headed girl had no clue as to the answer, a soft, quiet voice filtered up delicately from just a few inches to the side of her friend.

"—I believe . . . we just passed someone like that, didn't we?" The last part of her sentence was directed to Botan, as Yukina angled her face to one side, just a little, to considerately confirm the memory. The other girl blinked again, then cheerily smiled with a hint of pink dusting her face, after a moment, now turning her attention back to both boys, a few sweatdrops finding their way down her face.

"Ah, sou, sou! A little ways back, someone passed by us, wearing a uniform just like that!" The brown eyes of the dark-haired student narrowed, and he looked up to his friend, barely noting in the back of his thoughts how the carrot-top's gaze was unusually focused, trained hazily on the shorter, meeker maiden that had supplied an answer . . . that lean, bony-featured face of the taller one began to hold a tint of slight cerise—the first guy snorted at this oncoming blush, looking back to the girls with a nod and a brief thanks, before heading off as he passed them.

The other remained as he was, staring fixedly at the courteous, demure lass . . . who now noticed the look, and acknowledged this further attention with a friendly air, offering a slightly more cheerful look, as the childish crimson-hued irises disappeared to sweet half-moons in an innocent response to the stare upon her. This brought the boy out of his previous state of non-thought, and the light red on his scantly-featured face grew, a bit . . . he opened his mouth—

"OI! KUWABARA! I HAVEN'T GOT ALL DAY!" A certain ill-tempered delinquent yelled from up ahead, already a good ways down the sidewalk. Startled out of his soft feelings, the punk switched his gaze forward, beady black eyes scowling up at his comrade.

"I'm COMIN', Urameshi! GEEZE, hold your horses!" Muttering a bit to his mind, he aimed his eyes down, hoping to catch another glimpse of the affable mint-haired beauty that had—formerly been standing in front of him. His gaze widened, as they were no longer there, and he turned around, seeking to find . . . ah, but they must have gone around the corner, while he was answering Urameshi . . . he sighed, mind drifting again, for just a few moments longer—

**"KU-WA-BA-RA!" **The teen started, grumbling in annoyance before heading up with a few long ambles to join his impatient friend. They continued on, seeking out this black-uniformed teen, who could most likely tell them where his school was.

After all, didn't Yuusuke deserve a rematch with that short punk, after all this time?

_Although_ . . . Kuwabara pondered idly as he walked beside him, with a hint of regret . . .

_—that girl . . . she sure was beautiful . . ._

**(xxxxxxx)**

_—mnn . . ._

Wincing, a bit, the redhead pushed himself onto his arms, eyes trailing up to meet those darker brown ones of his sensei—disapproving, now, as was the quick comment that followed.

"Your mind's wandering." Came the flat, dry tone of the elder pink-haired woman. The jade optics of her student aimed themselves down and away, as Shuichi was still on his back, laid out prone, his slim upper body only supported by the two elbows that allowed him such a position to see her.

" . . . sumanai, Sakuha-sensei—" . . . he murmured, the respectful tone not lost in regard to his own shame . . . she sighed, when those quiet words met her ears, and the lady shook her head.

"Don't apologize, Minamino. **Focus**." He nodded, a scarce gesture, after a moment or two—and found his way to his feet, resuming a defensive stance once again—verdant eyes narrowing as he concentrated, seeking to read her next move . . .

_How could I allow myself to be so distracted . . . _he mused quietly, as the woman across from him settled in to fight, as well.

_It was years ago . . ._

_( : memory : )_

_His young, small hands clasped each other absently, a bandage wrapped around his head, and a few patches of gauze taped to his skin, covering most of the nasty scrapes . . . the dull, suspended forest-colored irises were hazed, trained intently on the floor of the waiting room, albeit unseeing, endlessly replaying the scene in his mind . . . when the two cars were rushing at them, and he had closed his eyes--_

_"SHUICHI! OH, GOD—**SHUICHI**!" His mother's voice snapped him back from the grisly—albeit sadly recent—past, and she ran the length of the sterile hall to her son, tears staining her cheeks as she barreled into him finally, hugging and holding him tight. "Oh, Shuichi . . . " at the sight of Shiori's breakdown, he felt drops of moisture accumulate in **his** eyes, as well . . . " . . . thank the kami-tachi you're alive . . . "_

_The built-up tears spilt forth at this, and he clung to his 'kaasan, crying—like any little boy his age would—into her shirt as he buried his face into that secure warmth . . . " . . . He—he . . . " . . . that choked voice started to mutter . . . but she shushed him, only holding her precious child to herself more tightly and rocking him a bit, speaking softly—_

_"I know, mus'ko, I know . . . it'll be all right . . ." Quiet, controlled footsteps reached their ears, but Shuichi didn't look up, still too far gone at the moment, safe in his mother's embrace from the grief that threatened._

_". . . are you all right, Shuichi-kun?" He finally looked up, seeing the calm, dark—and tonight, somber—eyes of Kieru Hanae . . . his friend's mother. He nodded, not moving his eyes from her . . . but those identical dark orbs trailed to the emergency room in front of where Shuichi sat not long after--of their own accord._

_" . . . Shiori . . . I suppose all we can do is wait, then?" Green eyes turned back up to her, and he saw his mother nod, still keeping him in her lap without disturbing too much . . ._

_"Hai, Hanae. Please, sit with us." The lady nodded, finding a seat close by the pair, deep violet stare trained on the double doors as she sat, staring with no emotion other than a blank sadness. . ._

_My only son . . ._

_( : end memory : )_

"Minamino!" Jarred awake, yet again, his eyes widened as he noted the shihan had paused mid-attack, her hand poised just a few inches from his nose . . . and the furious, slow-kindled anger of the venerable warrior now burned into him from below. She drew back, her eyes calming, some, emotions coming under her control as experience would have it . . . rotating quietly around, arms now folding across her chest as she faced away from her pupil—_and_ his lack of alertness.

"Go home, Minamino. You're accomplishing nothing here." He bowed his head, just a bit, in regret . . . it was **his** fault she was wasting her time; pure and simple. With an exceptionally low bow, he exited, not another word between them, and headed back to the locker room to retrieve his school uniform. Kurama chose not to change out of the traditional attire of this particular martial art—(the clothes needed a washing, anyway)—and . . . started home.

(xxxxxxx)

DONE!

For now . . . sigh.

Enjoy this, I haven't the faintest idea when the next update will come. ;;;

Perhaps before September, but . . . I have summer reading to do, as well. Xx;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

I'm sorry:: cries : I hate circumstances . . . well, that and being a senior. ;;;; At least no SATs this year . . . Moving on! n.n; Review responses!

Thank you everyone, sooo much! If you all don't hate me for taking so long (and left a review last chapter), please feel free to read directly below. ;;; Otherwise, skip to the end for more ranting.

- Kita n.n

PS

DOUMO ARIGATOU GOZAIMASHITA! ( x.x;; )

_Kooriya Yui (At this point . . . I don't even remember what I was talking about. x.x;; : checks the review from the latest chapter when typing these responses ;;;; : Ah, yes, isn't it cute? Sorry for the lack of a response . . . but thanks for the review! n.n.;; Eheh . . . arigatou, Yui-chan. :3 )_

_YokoYoukai ( Indeed. Flashbacks and cocoa—WARNING, WARNING; DANGEROUS COMBINATION! X.x; lol Thanks for the nice review, Hatoko-chan . . . sorry it too so long, though! Xx Doumo! n.n;; )_

_Dragonflyr ( Yay Youko's mom! n.n;; Isn't she just as fun as him? Like mother, like son . . . : snicker . . . pats, though : n.n Not saying anything about Miuko, just yet . . . but that was my first thought, yup. : nod, nod : It might change, though. n.n;; The Kura Kuro thing should have gotten clearer, now . . . Thanks for the good luck . . . I got a 2 on the APs on essays, for crying out loud ;;;; but did okay on the SATs oo;; Ah yes . . . and thanks again for the review, Flyr-chan! n.n;; )_

_Bluespark ( : nod, nod : Nice to meet a new reader! Then again, it's been so long . . . : sweatdrop : Thanks so much! Hope you still like the story, after all this time . . . : waves : Arigatou gozaimasu, Spark-san! )_

_Kitsune Kit ( n.n;; lol Yes, Kit-chan, Japanese is fun . . . : pats : n.n;;;;;;; Thanks for the review:3 )_

_ame-tennyo AKA Hyena Frog ( : many sweatdrops : Ah . . . yes, yes, the poor cup—: inches away slowly, in an unthreatening way : oo;; lol n.n; Thanks for the review, Frog-san. Sorry for the long wait. x.x; )_

_Ryuuie Mizishi ( : Huggles:: n . . n Thank you! I am updating . . . just---sporadically. : Profuse sweatdropping : . . . don't hurt meh! Xx; Thanks for the songs, also! n.n I've burned all of the ones you sent onto a CD, and have listened to it so much that I now know all the words. : additional sweatdropping : If you could, could you send me the name of your site, again . . ? I've lost it, and am looking for other Yuyu music . . . oo; If you have the time, though! n.n;; Thanks soo much for the review, Ryuuie-chan! Doumo arigatou gozaimasu:3 )_

_Fox-Forbidden-Child ( : beams:: Wow . . . thank you! n . . . n I do try . . . it's just the world is against me, at the moment! Xx;;; . . . gah—Thanks for the review. x.x Doumo! n.n; )_

_Nite Nite ( Demon babies, most likely if you sneak Kurama-kun and Hiei-kun's DNA into the government lab, that is ;;; . I mean, think about it. Kurama's half-demon, and Hiei's all-demon . . . : nod, nod : The genetics win out! . . . unless the human gene isn't recessive, of course. x.x;;;;; Heh. : presents with a dragon/fire/katana-proof vest for Spike. n.n;;;; lol Good luck, Nite-chan! Survive . . . as I do, vaguely, faintly flickering into existence every now and then. x.x;; Eheh. Thanks again for the review:3 )_

_Vampire Ifurita ( Hiyo, indeed:: has disappeared for a third of a year x.x;; : Thanks so much . . . I'll hurry and update as soon as I can. Oo; Don't know when that'll be, though. x.x; Thanks, though. n.n; Doumo arigatou, Ifurita-chan. :3 )_

_Queen of the Paperclips ( Yes! I live! Xx; I respond after four months of silence! X.x;; No, but I have to finish this fic . . . : shrug : It's become something to work towards, for me (just watch, I'll be in college and still be writing this—it's been over a year since I published it first, anyway! n.n; ) Eh . . . I would have done something special, but I'm too darn busy. ;-; Sigh. : pats, though : n.n I love your reviews, Paperclip-chan! Keep 'em up! I look forward to any in the future, and doumo arigatou for the GREAT review, as always! n . . . . . . . n )_

_shadow priestess ( Ore! I will remember. X.x; Gah . . . please forgive the oddness . . . I'm insane right now. --; I'm glad you still like this story, it's taking me sooo long to update! I'm sorry! Xx; Please do forgive. And thank you very much for the review. :3 Danke schoen. )_

_spiritkitsune ( Ah, yes, sprouting shounen ai. Oo; lol n.n; Well, the important thing is that you did review, so now I can talk to you! Eheh . . . : bows : Thank you for reading, Spirit-san! I hope to hear from you again:3 Thankies so much for the nicey-nice comments! n . . n )_

_foxlover312 ( Another newbie! Ah, don't worry . . . if you're annoying, I'm about ten times worse. :3 : pats : n.n Rambling's okay . . . it's fun! Hope you keep it up, I'm not giving in on this fic! IT WILL BE FINISHED—eventually. ;;;; Probably when we're all old and grey and my fingers have arthritis and I'm senile or whatnot . . . oo; Maybe not, but it's fun anyway, ne? lol, thanks again, Fox-san! n.n; )_

_Tankar ( Yes! I'm actually updating somewhat soon, compared to your review . . oo; Hm. I tend to do that, now that I think on it . . . Xx; Good thing you commented, reminding me of my responsibility as a fanfiction sakusha! I WILL WRITE! . . . n.n;; Eheh . . . but, thanks again and yes, it's sorta Shuichi-centered. ;;; I noticed that now, thanks for the clue-in . . . maybe I'll do what you suggested. I like the idea—hm. We'll see. Oh, and . . . err—due to the unwillingness of the authoress to elaborate on what went on between Youko-kun and Toumo-chan . . . ;;;;; Use your imagination. Eh . . . on to the updating-ness! n.n;;; Arigatou, Tankar-san! )_

YES!

AFTER FOUR LONG MONTHS, IT'S ON TO UPDATING!

: skitters around, basking in the joy of it all : n.n

Ah, yes, and as some side notes:

When we were in Japan, some of my friends found a doujinshi store. There was lots of yaoi manga (from what I've heard), including some Yuyu. It was mostly HieixYuusuke, YuusukexHiei; but Jess said that she saw a few KuramaxHiei, HieixKurama ones as well.

. . . right next to it was a hentai store, and she almost went in. ;;;; Sigh. Ah, the cluelessness. oo;;

. . . when we were visiting the school (walking down the halls, more descriptively), Jess was also talking about 'yaoi' this and 'yaoi' that, just because she saw a couple of guy students holding hands (the Japanese are very affectionate, you understand; girls sit in other girls' laps, guys do perverted stuff with one another . . . n.n;;; It's all good. ;; ) BUT anyway, the point is that she got all these weird looks from the guys . . . n.n;;;; Heh, heh . . .

She also used her Japanese phrasebook to tell a couple of Japanese schoolgirls (our age) that 'You're only using me for sex.' BWA HA HA!

. . . it was fun, overall.

Although I suggest _not _going in a vast tour group . . . : shudder :

And now to update!

(Ah yes, and please excuse any mistakes that I may have missed . . . my mom's blocking software actually_ prevents_ me from seeing this chapter on the Web! X.x; 'Pornography', or some such stupid thing comes up . . . grr. So, basically, I couldn't check this chappie online like I usually do----gomen! ;-; )

(Eheh . . . n.n;; )

Thanks again, minna-san (and that includes you silent readers, too)!

:3

Peace out! n.n


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